Bill Would Help Immigrant Students Earn Citizenship

A new bill is being reintroduced to the Senate that, if passed, would allow immigrants who have grown up, undocumented, in the U.S. to qualify for permanent legal residency and eventually full citizenship.

Dubbed the DREAM Act (Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act), the bill aims to help teens and young adults who came to the U.S. illegally as children with their families get the financial aid they  need to attend college in America.  The legislation was inspired by immigrant students who grew up attending school in America, but their undocumented status is preventing them from obtaining the loans and financial aid they need to attend college. Currently, financial aid is only available to citizens and legal residents. 

According to Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.), who joined with Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) to co-sponsor the bill, there are between 50,000 to 100,000 teens who encounter this obstacle.

"These are people who are coming to America and have the desire to contribute and improve our way of life," said Andy Fisher, spokesman for Senator Lugar.

However, critics of the bill say it would provide amnesty for illegal immigrants, who once made citizens, would be free to petition immigration officials for legal resident status for their parents and other relatives.

But supporters say that children have no choice how they arrive in the U.S., and current immigration laws only allow minors to change their immigration status through their parents.

Under the DREAM Act, to be eligible for legal resident status, and eventually citizenship, a child must:

• Have been under the age of 16 when they came to the U.S.
• Have lived in the U.S. for at least 5 years before the law passes
• Have earned a high school diploma or GED
• Be a person of good moral character
• Not be inadmissible or deportable under criminal or security grounds

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