DREAM Act Updates
In Texas, Presidential candidate Rick Perry says he supports the 2001 law that grants undocumented immigrants in-state tuition, but opposes the National DREAM Act proposal. On a state level, it was the best option available. Overall, Perry finds it cost-effective to provide financial aid to undocumented immigrants in Texas rather than to deal with the repercussions of the uneducated populace later. He states, “They were going to cost us more money if we did not allow them to be educated and become part of the workforce in the state of Texas. Bill Hammond, president of the Texas Association of Business, also agrees with Perry. Granting these students in-state tuition will help Texas economically and financially in the long-run. However, the Texas DREAM Act is distinguished from the National DEAM act as it provides no citizenship clause. Also, to benefit, a student must have lived in Texas for three years prior to attending college, have graduated from high school, and have filed a formal intention to apply for permanent resident status.
On another good note, the California Assembly passed the second phase of the state’s DREAM Act, allowing undocumented students to apply for financial aid and lower tuition fees. The first part was passed in July, granting students private scholarships and financial aid. However, the bill still needs be signed into law by the governor. If passed, the students need to meet the following requirements: living in the U.S. for at least five years, and should have entered the U.S. before the age of 16; a high school degree from California, or a GED; be 12 to 35 years old by the time they apply; and meet the good moral character standard.
Nationally, President Obama is still pushing for the DREAM Act, but he states that those who want him to do it without Congress are doing a great disservice to the country. Some activists argue that President Obama could simply use his executive power to halt deportations of those whom the Act would apply, but the President states that we live in a democracy and that, as a result, you have to pass bills through the legislature and then I can sign it. ‘”Our administration has supported the basic concept that we are a nation of laws” Mr. Obama said, adding “we’re also a nation of immigrants” and “we have to create a system that works for all of us.”‘
~ Rebecca S. Singh, Esq.