Photo Illustration by Michael Uribes / The Collegian
The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act (DREAM) Act, is currently attached to the Immigration Reform bill. If passed, it will give thousands of illegal immigrants two options””join the military or go to school.
Once you have completed two years of either, the United States may change your legal status to legal residency.
To qualify, students must be between the “ages of 12 to 35 when the law is enacted.” Applicants must have arrived in the United States before they reach the age of 16 and live in the United States for five or more years consecutively. They must also have a U.S. high school diploma or General Education Diploma and have “good moral character.”
The bill if passed as it is written, will not guarantee legalization of all students who meet the requirements. For those who qualify for the DREAM Act will receive a “Conditional Permanent Resident Status” for six years. After the six years they might receive their legal residency.
If during these six years the “alien,” as the bill states, becomes of a “public charge,” or “received a dishonorable or other than honorable discharge” from the military, they will lose their Conditional Permanent Resident Status and will likely be deported. This applies even if they become veterans of the Iraq or Afghanistan war, or if they have a degree.
Many U.S. soldiers have returned home with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or other mental problems; they have returned without body parts and according to icasualties.org 4,734 in Iraq and 2,061 in Afghanistan have lost their lives. If soldiers under the DREAM Act are injured physically or mentally and they commit a “public charge”, they will be deported.
If the student chooses to go to college to meet the two year or more requirements to be eligible for the DREAM Act, the student cannot receive government aid to help them complete school. They will be eligible for work-study and private loans only. Even if the student has a spouse and kids or has limited means, no financial aid will be provided by the government.
Currently the DREAM Act is attached to a much larger Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill. The bill would give legal residency not only to students, but working families as well. Many politicians, however, believe that the DREAM Act should pass independently to have a greater opportunity of bipartisan support.
“I think right now the fear and everything is strictly tied to the election this November,” said Rodney Anderson, an instructor in the political science department. Anderson said for this reason, politicians are discussing the Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill.
“Dreamers are not here alone, they have brothers, sisters, parents that can’t be left in the shadows anymore,” said Adriana Sanchez, a senior at Fresno State, referring to the millions of families that are not acknowledged by the U.S. government because of their legal status.
“They could at least give us the DREAM Act; this is our only hope,” said Juan Santiago, a Madera Community College student and group advisor of Central Valley Youth Coalition for Comprehensive Immigration Reform in Madera who will be benefited by the DREAM Act.
“When baby boomers retire, there are going to be a lot of job opportunities. We will fill them, so they will benefit from our taxes.” DREAM students would supply the demand of workers that this country needs,” Sanchez said about the benefit students will bring to the U.S. economy.
“The U.S. has been hypocritical when it comes to immigration,” said Michael Becker, instructor from the political science department. “They tend to turn the blind eye when the economy is booming, and as soon as the economy gets bad, immigrants become the scapegoats,” stressing why illegal immigration is such an important issue for many politicians.
“If they give us this opportunity,” said Juan Santiago, “the United States would be sending the message that the American dream is still reachable here.”