Federal DREAM Act

The Federal DREAM Act (Not yet Available)

The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act addresses the situation faced by millions of young people who were brought to the United States as undocumented immigrant children. This legislation would provide a pathway for thousands towards legal status. On May 11, 2011, Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Representative Howard Berman (D-CA) introduced the DREAM Act as S. 952 and H.R. 1842, respectively. To date, the DREAM Act has 32 co-sponsors in the Senate and two in the House.

Why is the DREAM act needed?

Each year about 65,000 U.S.–raised students who would qualify for the DREAM Act’s benefits graduate from high school. These include honor roll students, star athletes, talented artists, homecoming queens, and aspiring teachers, doctors, and U.S. soldiers. They are young people who have lived in the U.S. for most of their lives and desire only to call this country their home. Even though they were brought to the U.S. years ago as children, they face unique barriers to higher education, are unable to work legally in the U.S., and often live in constant fear of detection by immigration authorities.

Our immigration law currently has no mechanism to consider the special equities and circumstances of such students. The DREAM Act would eliminate this flaw. By enacting the DREAM Act, Congress would legally recognize what is de facto true: these young people belong here. If Congress fails to act this year, another entire class of outstanding, law-abiding high school students will graduate without being able to plan for the future, and some will be removed from their homes to countries they barely know. This tragedy will cause America to lose a vital asset: an educated class of promising immigrant students who have demonstrated a commitment to hard work and a strong desire to be contributing members of our society

For more information, visit:
www.nilc.org/issues/immigration-reform-and-executive-actions/dreamact/dream-correcting-myths-misperceptions/