Why is the DREAM Act needed?

Every year, 65,000 U.S.-raised students who would qualify for the DREAM Act’s benefits graduate from high school. These include honor roll students, star athletes, talented artists, homecoming queens, and aspiring teachers, doctors, and business owners. They are young people who have lived in the U.S for most of their lives and desire only to call this country their home. Even though they were brought to the U.S. years ago as children, they face unique barriers to higher education, are unable to work legally in the U.S., and often live in constant fear of detection by immigration authorities.

Our immigration law currently has no mechanism to consider the special equities and circumstances of such students. The DREAM Act would eliminate this flaw. It is un-American to indefinitely and irremediably punish them for decisions made by adults many years ago. By enacting the DREAM Act, Congress would legally recognize what is de facto true: these young people belong here.

DREAM Act students should be allowed to get on with their lives. If Congress fails to act this year, another entire class of outstanding, law-abiding high school students will graduate without being able to plan for the future, and some will be removed from their home to countries they barely know. This tragedy will cause America to lose a vital asset: an educated class of promising immigrant students who have demonstrated a commitment to hard work and a strong desire to be contributing members of our society.

Once made into law, immigrants meeting the criteria will essentially have the opportunity to “earn” Permanent Residency. This means that students will be issued Temporary Residency for a period of six years, which is conditioned upon meeting certain educational or military requirements. Within the 6 years temporary residency period, a qualified student must attend college, and earn at least a two year degree (AA), or serve in the U.S. military for 2 years in order to maintain immigration benefits. Once the immigrant has met all of the conditions at the end of the 6-year conditional period, they will be granted Permanent Residency, which will lead to U.S. citizenship. However, if the student does not comply with either the college requirement or military service requirement, the Temporary Residency will be taken away and student will be subjected to deportation.

General Requirements:
Under the new DREAM Act, immigrants may qualify in part, by meeting the following requirements which have not been finalized by Congress:

• Must be b/w the ages of 12-35 at the time the Law is enacted.
• Must have arrived in the U.S before the age of 16.
• Must have resided continuously in the U.S. for at least 5 consecutive years since the date of their arrival.
• Must have graduated from a U.S. high school, or obtained a General Education Diploma(GED).
• Must have “good moral character”.

Other Benefits:
In addition to temporary Residency, immigrant students who qualify would also be entitled to apply for student loans and work study, but would not be eligible for Pell educational grants.

Termination of Benefits:
In certain circumstances, the immigrant may lose temporary immigration Residency. This may occur if the immigrant does not meet the educational or military service requirement within the 6 year time period or if they commit any crimes (other than those considered non-drug related misdemeanors) regardless of whether or not they have already been approved for permanent status at the end of their six years. If an immigrant is convicted of a major crime, or drug-related infraction, he or she would automatically lose the 6 year temporary residence status and be immediately subject to deportation.

The Dream Act 2009 bill has not passed yet in Congress. Currently, representatives are re-writing and adding provisions that are not yet set in stone. If you’re worrying about what to do after high school; and if you want to go to college; and if you feel like the U.S. is your true home, write your congress member and urge them to pass Dream Act 2009.

More information can be found on:

dreamact2009.org

dreamactivist.org ... (a site for undocumented youth)

scholarships for undocumented students...(regardless of your immigration status)