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Will DREAM Come True?

The Nation
1 hour, 46 minutes ago



The Nation -- Marc Cooper's right that Arlen Specter's immigration bill is seriously lacking.

What's needed is a comprehensive immigration bill that is compassionate and realistic-- one that will humanely address the plight of undocumented workers, justly provide opportunities for permanent status, and simultaneously (or rather, consequently) bolster America's national security. Unfortunately--as long as the rational voices are being drowned out by fear-mongers who want to build a wall across the Mexican border-- this ain't gonna happen.

But as the Senate Judiciary Committee tweaks Specter's bill, a provision could be added that would enable undocumented immigrants who graduate from America's high schools to receive federal aid, scholarships, and in-state tuition rates at state universities. Currently, the 65,000 undocumented students who graduate each year are technically ineligible for such assistance, and as a result, often must forgo college, work menial jobs, and more or less abandon their American dreams. Many of these students have lived in America for the majority of their lives, speak perfect English, and excel in their high schools.

The DREAM Act, which was introduced by Senators Dick Durbin and Orrin Hatch in 2003 and reintroduced last November, would reverse this absurd and punitive policy and also provide opportunities for these students to eventually obtain full legal status. Now, the provisions of the DREAM Act may be added as an amendment to the Specter bill.

I spoke to Josh Bernstein at the National Immigration Law Center, who said the DREAM Act would be "tremendously beneficial" if passed, but cautioned that it would be preferable if it was passed independently of the Specter bill. "This has been a very contentious year with respect to immigration; there's been a lot of emotion and there's been a real war over this issue," said Bernstein. "We should take these kids out of the battlefield of this war, because that's not where kids belong."

"The DREAM Act, fundamentally, is not even about immigration policy, it's about how we treat young people who grow up here," said Bernstein. "We want the DREAM Act to pass, but we don't want it to be used as a bargaining chip."

Whether it's passed independently or thrown in with Specter's comprehensive bill, one thing is for sure: the realization of this DREAM is long overdue.

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