ALIENS OUT & ABOUT

DREAM Act Vote Offers Citizenship For Service Or Schooling

In a party-line vote yesterday, the House of Representatives approved the DREAM Act. Young adults who came to the country as kids are given an option using the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act. The DREAM Act; creates a "path to citizenship". The U.S. Senate may very well filibuster the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act. The DREAM Act might even enable those involved to get personel loans someday .

The DREAM Act 'path to citizenship'

The DREAM Act is a bill intended specifically to target kids that are brought to the United States as illegal immigrants before they are 16 years old. Young adults who apply for citizenship through the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act would be given a six-year "temporary" status. At that time, it would be required that these individuals go to college at that time with their own cash. They could go to the United States military too.

Seeing the response to the DREAM Act

There's a lot of debate over the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act. Some are calling this an "amnesty" bill that would give 2 million illegal immigrants a right to be within the country legally. Another thing making people angry is the belief that paying for tuition wouldn’t be too costly for the immigrants. They would get in-state tuition rights. Proponents of the bill, however, point out that the bill targets only young adults who were not given an option in coming to the country. The immigrants have to be able to “prove themselves” to be worthy of living within the states during the “trial period” of six years. They would not be allowed PELL grants or welfare during this time.

DREAM Act election status

Though the DREAM Act passed the House of representatives on a 216-198 mostly party-line election; it might not become law. The U.S. Senate might filibuster the passage of the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, preventing it from passing. The Education Secretary and Homeland Security Secretary support the DREAM Act. It was made public. There would be increased economic activity and decreased enforcement costs, suggests the Congressional Budget Office, if the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act does pass. This could mean a $1.4 billion drop within the federal deficit too. The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act will go into law if it is able to pass the Senate. Obama said he would sign it too.