Benefits Of The DREAM Act

An article published in the At Issue anthology What Rights Should Illegal Immigrants Have? tells of undocumented students who have entered the Unites States, graduate, but have no chance to work because of their illegal status. A chance at citizenship is a chance at avoiding poverty. Although some people do not see the issue, they see the millions of legal students that enter college each year, and watch as they receive the chance to achieve their goals. In the end, someone will receive this chance, but they may not take hold of the opportunity. According to the Center for Immigration Studies, statistics show that about 10.2 million U.S. citizens under the age of 35 had not completed college, but just as many illegal immigrants graduate high
school, and could take the place of these citizens who have chosen to drop out of universities across the nation (Camarota). Ultimately, our nation is legally provides higher education to students who may not utilize the offer, but is denying education and scholarships to some illegal immigrants who desire to get ahead. Duncan revealed that if we providing higher education to illegal immigrant minors is vital for keeping the American dream alive, due to the fact that these students are a big percentage of the future of our country. The young people who are brought to America by their parents should live their lives just like anyone their age, and should not be ousted to a life where success is unattainable (“Dream On”). To conclude, the DREAM act is the only viable solution to a life where all students have a chance to a flourishing future.
The perspicuous aspiration is to provide a chance to achieve success to these illegal immigrant.
Specifically, the goal is the DREAM act. So, what is the DREAM act? "Why DREAM Act is Right for U.S., Young People", a USA Today article, the DREAM Act was made to create a chance for illegal immigrant students to attend college (Duncan). In the book The Children of Undocumented Immigrants, Fitz states,"...The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act offers young undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship if they have lived in the country for five years. They must also either complete two years of higher education or military service." To illustrate, these students could attend a community college to begin their higher education, and when they graduate they would obtain the citizenship to move on to a four year university or to legally enter the workforce. Not to mention that these students would become applicants for scholarships and financial aid. Furthermore, the student could also serve in the military and then receive a no-cost college education through the Government Issue bill. Bennion reveals in his article that the DREAM Act was created in 2001, but has been vetoed by the American government. The disapproval of the Act has resulted in many illegal immigrant students rising up through immigration marches and online forums. More importantly, these students that stand for the DREAM Act are not only illegal immigrants, but are citizens of America
who are seeing the injustice.
This act does not reward illegal behavior, because these minors had no contribution in the decision to illegally immigrate, and the process is very selective. In his book, Fitz explains that many of the potential candidates for the DREAM act did not choose to come to America; it was by choice of their parents, and the DREAM act is a chance for them to work hard for citizenship. Even though they were not born here, these children came to America at a young age, some before they could even walk or talk. In the event that they were old enough to be aware that illegal actions were taking place, opting to stay home would result in a life without their families at a very young age. Ultimately, the decision to immigrate to America is an adult decision, and a child should not be held responsible for these choices. The At Issue anthology reveals the requirements of the DREAM Act:
Have been brought to the United States before age sixteen, have lived in the United States for at least five years, be a person of good moral character (having not committed any serious crimes), have been admitted to college or earned a high school diploma or GED..., and plan to serve two years in the military or complete two years of college (Bennion). Obviously, it is easy to see that these requirements are intensive. This application process will fill our country with students who are worthy of an education, for they will not be criminals or immoral. Opponents of the DREAM act say that giving citizenship to hard-working individuals goes against the United States’ current rule of law on immigration (Fitz). Although this may be true, the DREAM act is not given to mediocre candidates. These prospective students are chosen because they show potential through good character. Fitz also states in his book that these students are working hard for their citizenship, and would strengthen the population. We should not deny those who are only willing to work hard for our country. To restate, persistent academic and moral values are not a crime and these young people deserve the reward. These students have grown up speaking English, celebrating American customs, and studying in schools all throughout the United States, some since kindergarten. They are American and have come to this country to obtain success.
Another complaint about the DREAM act is that it would be an expensive process. The DREAM act is not costly. In reality, the DREAM act would create $16.2 billion in taxes, for this money would be used to deport these DREAM-eligible students (Fitz). In Fitz's book, he reveals that potential students for the DREAM Act would not qualify for Medicaid, food stamps, Pell grants, or any other federal benefits, saving taxpayers about $16.5 billion over the following five years. To put it briefly, Fitz shows that these students are not entitled to anything but citizenship, and that the DREAM act is not a form of mooching. As shown by these statistics, both scenarios involve about the same amount of money. The difference is the DREAM act would save $16.5 billion, while deportation would cost $16.2 billion. The American Immigration council states in their online article, "The DREAM Act: Creating Economic Opportunities”, that the Congressional Budget Office found that the DREAM act would free up $2.2 billion for the U.S. from 2011-2020. This would be money made by once-illegal immigrant students who have graduated and moved on to paying jobs, and they can also legally participate as taxpayers. The American Immigration Council's article also explains that an immigrant who possess a college degree pays $5,300 in taxes and $3,900 less in government expenses each year. Thousands of dollars would be gained by the United States government just by one person alone, and there are about a million illegal immigrant minors that could help. Fractions of the DREAM act application fee could be put towards beneficiaries such as scholarships and job-training to help not only illegal immigrants, but also the citizens of America. This access to education and job-training could benefit all and makes more money for the U.S. in the end (Leppala). In conclusion, the DREAM act purpose is not to take away money, but to gain more by removing some immigrant’s poverty stricken status through higher education. If this act is passed, it will benefit the economy. In our society, attending college is one of the keys to success. For example, the Center for Immigration Studies’ reveals that the DREAM act could promise a total of 1.03 million illegal immigrant’s access to community and state colleges (Camarota). That is 1.03 million people that have the chance to make a life for themselves. According to the American Immigration Council’s article "The DREAM Act: Creating Economic Opportunities" the UCLA North American Integration and Development Center found that the DREAM Act help could earn immigrants $1.4 trillion to $3.6 trillion more during their careers). As previously stated, this money would go to our nation’s taxes. These immigrants will not need the government to provide for them. If these immigrants are legalized, they will invest in their own bank accounts, homes, and start businesses of their own (“The DREAM Act: Creating Economic Opportunities”). They are more likely to buy things that they need for their American lives. Duncan states in his article that just like the thousands before them, immigrants arrive here in America to revel in freedom and accomplish goals. To show prior success, those before them helped create many businesses including Intel, Google, and Ebay. As a nation, we often must look into our past. We easily see that those who come from other countries are different, yet they can provide us with new ways of thinking.
The young woman who comes to the supermarket every Wednesday, the brightest first grader in the class, or the teenager that walks dogs for most of the neighborhood, they all fight a silent battle.
They hail from Japan, India, or Mexico, but have been raised on American culture. They are just like all of us, yet they will not attend college. For now, their future looks bleak, for it is filled with food stamps, dead-end jobs, and possible criminal activity just to get ahead. Fitz explains that the constituents of the DREAM act are understood and have been analyzed for many years, so there is no more time to hinder its passing. These illegal immigrants plead for a cause that America is able to offer: the DREAM act. Congress should pass the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors act to create a better future for minors who had no say in immigrating to the United States. We should not let the potential talent of these people go to waste. Do not forget the student who regularly attends detention, he deserves a chance too, but let the voice of the illegal immigrant valedictorian or overachiever be
heard.