Thread: Want to pass the DREAM Act? Let's combine mercy with justice

Want to pass the DREAM Act? Let's combine mercy with justice

12/17/17 05:00 PM EST



Why hasn’t Congress been able to pass the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act despite 16 years of trying?

One answer could be that it's because it is a "win-lose" bill. It provides legal status for those brought into the United States illegally as children (known as "Dreamers") while totally ignoring justice for the American victims of job-related felonies committed by those Dreamers.

According to one survey conducted jointly between the University of California, United We Dream (UWD), the National Immigration Law Center (NILC) and the Center for American Progress (CAP), 43.9 percent of those who would be covered by the proposed DREAM Act worked before they gained DACA status. That percentage increased to 60.7 percent for DACA recipients over 25 years of age.

The problem is that those Dreamers were unable to legally obtain Social Security numbers, which are required for employment purposes. As a result, in many cases, they used numbers that they obtained fraudulently. In fact, the unlawful use of Social Security numbers is so pervasive that the Obama administration instructed Dreamers not to disclose them when they applied for DACA status.

Thus, American citizens whose Social Security numbers were used illegally were left with problems including destroyed credit, arrest records attached to their names, unpaid tax liabilities and corrupted medical records while the Dreamers who were granted DACA status were allowed to walk away from felony crimes such as forgery, Social Security fraud, perjury on I-9 forms and identity theft.

How can Congress fix the problem? An easy answer is that it could try combining mercy for the Dreamers with justice for their American victims. A few provisions that could be added to such a law:

• Require Dreamers to disclose each and every Social Security number they used for employment or other purposes;

• Require government employees to advise the rightful owners of those Social Security numbers that they have been compromised; and

• Restitution for the victims of immigration-related identity theft.

This represents a win-win solution. Dreamers would be able to resolve their immigration status and they would receive amnesty for job-related felonies. American citizens would receive justice through a program that enables them to recover from the devastating financial and emotional consequences that identity theft places on them.

How would restitution work? The DREAM Act could establish a “Dreamer Victims Restitution Fund” (DVRF) funded by a fine paid by each applicant who unlawfully used a Social Security number. The fines could also be tier-based; for instance, a sum of $3,000 for the unlawful use of one number, and $5,000 for the unlawful use of two or more Social Security numbers. Expenses incurred by those who need to fix their credit, arrest and medical records, and by those who need to wipe out unpaid tax liabilities linked to their Social Security numbers, would be reimbursed from the DVRF up to a certain limit.

How would Dreamers get the money to pay the restitution fine? If Dreamers or their parents were unable to pay the fines, the U.S. Chamber, Mark Zuckerberg’s Fwd.US, religious organizations, employers, sanctuary cities and others who support the Dreamers could help applicants cover the cost. It would be better than insisting that those who came here illegally receive amnesty while Americans shoulder all of the costs.

The bottom line is that if the DREAM Act is to be fair to both Dreamers and their victims, it needs to combine mercy with justice. Perhaps a win-win approach will change the fortunes of the Dream Act after 16 years of failed attempts to pass it.

http://thehill.com/opinion/immigrati...y-with-justice

The only Justice for Dreamers and citizens is the deportation of all Dreamers and their parents along with every other illegal alien in our country on the earliest possible date. Any action other than this is an unfair free ride to Dreamers they don't deserve and generations of lifetimes of American Citizens paying for the ride and enduring the consequences.

I think DACA is just going to die on the vine. Does anyone see any credible movement to salvaging this by December 22? The attention is going to be focused on the tax bill. And I don't really know what to think about that. It probably won'e help me in the least, but likely won;t hurt unless they wipe out the mortgage deduction which I am hoping to use in the future.

The bigger problem is if Paul Ryan gets a greenlight to tinker with Social Security and Medicare. There is a way to deal with the coming deficits in these programs: Go after the $500 billion internal revenue gap---which is pretty much equally caused by the political factions. Every time I bring that up in public discussion---someone diverts the argument into their pet peeve about the IRS. THAT'S NOT THE ISSUE. The issue is that some people are getting away without paying their fair share.I would also support a raise on the contribution ceiling. Perhaps it should not be at the same rate, but still people earning those high incomes, especially if the tax bill succeeds, could afford it.

Originally Posted by Captainron

I think DACA is just going to die on the vine. Does anyone see any credible movement to salvaging this by December 22?

It might not be taken care of until March 5th. when Trump says he will fix it himself.

Trump to extend DACA protections if Congress doesn’t legalize them by March 5th

I don't know if this will work, since our opinions are a drop in the bucket of what needs to take place in our country. The reason DACA has any legs at all, is due to lobbying efforts THAT ARE AGAINST THE LAW. No one can lobby for a 'foreign principal' unless they are a registered lobbyist. Congressional office sit ins, email campaigns, phone calls and nearly any type of pressure on officials, except via registered lobbyist is banned. So I called the DOJ comment line and left a message for AG Sessions. It is their department and the Foreign Agents Registration Unit that is overseen by the DOJ. However, this is probably over Sessions' head, since our government is becoming increasingly ineffective.
Comment line: 202-353-1555

The ONLY way to fix it is let the Work Permits expire and out they go with the WHOLE FAMILY!

They should never been given "deferred deportation" status to begin with!

NO EXTENSION, NO PATH TO STAY AND ABSOULETY NO AMNESTY