The DREAM Act in the 111th Congress

The Issue

There are thousands of undocumented immigrant students, brought to this country as young children who have grown up in the U.S., excelled in school, and are American in every sense except for their citizenship. However, when it comes time to apply for college, many find the door to enrollment effectively shut because they lack legal immigration status. They are not eligible for the resident tuition rate at state-supported colleges and universities—even though they may have graduated from their state’s school, and resided in that state for many years. The out-of-state or “foreign student” tuition rate they must pay deters many from furthering their education. In addition, undocumented students are not eligible for any type of federal financial aid. Other young men and women who wish to join the uniformed military services are also shut out of enlisting in them. Even if students are able to make it through college, they graduate without the legal right to work in this country. These children and young adults are the embodiment of individual merit and achievement. In recognition of this fact, members of Congress have introduced legislation to clear a path towards legal immigration status that would allow these students to pursue their education and put their college degrees to good use, or to contribute to this country through military service.

The Legislation

Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act
S. 729, introduced in the Senate by Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Richard Lugar (R-IN), along with Senators Russell Feingold (D-WI), Edward Kennedy (D-MA), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Joseph Lieberman (I-CT), Mel Martinez (R-FL) and Harry Reid (D-NV). (List of Co-sponsors)

The American Dream Act
H.R. 1751, introduced in the House by Representatives Howard Berman (D-CA) and Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL), along with Anh “Joseph” Cao (R-LA), John Conyers (D-CA), Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Devin Nunes (R-CA), Jared Polis (D-CO), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), and Lucille Royball-Alard (D-CA). (List of Co-sponsors)

Among other things, these bills would permit certain immigrant students to apply for temporary legal status and to eventually obtain permanent status and become eligible for U.S. citizenship if they go to college or serve in the U.S. military. They would also eliminate a federal provision penalizing states that provide in-state tuition based on state residency, regardless of immigration status.

Status

The legislation was introduced on March 26, 2009.

For More Information

Summary: DREAM Act: Summary, March 2009, National Immigration Law Center.
Issue Brief: DREAM Act: Basic Information, February 2009, National Immigration Law Center.
Issue Brief: Basic Facts about In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrant Students, February 2009, National Immigration Law Center.
Fact Sheet: Dreams Deferred: The Costs of Ignoring Undocumented Students, October 18, 2007, Immigration Policy Center.
Advocacy Materials: DREAM Act Advocacy Toolkit, May 2009, Immigrant Legal Resource Center
Report: Young Lives on Hold: The College Dreams of Undocumented Students, April 21, 2009, The College Board
Report: Wasted Talent and Broken Dreams: The Lost Potential of Undocumented Students, October 2007, Immigration Policy Center.
Report: American DREAM: How the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act Would Strengthen and Expand the American Middle Class, March 2, 2010, Drum Major Institute for Public Policy.
Article: The DREAM Act: Tapping an Overlooked Pool of Homegrown Talent to Meet Military Enlistment Needs, Margaret Stock, Associate Professor, Department of Law, United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y., January 15, 2006 in Benders Immigration Bulletin.
Case Study: The Outsider, February 22, 2009, Phuong Ly, Washington Post Magazine.
Web site: United We DREAM

ACTION

Send a letter to your Representative and Senators asking them to co-sponsor the DREAM Act. You can find a sample letter to change or send here.