2007 Dream Act: Is Congress Offering the American Dream-- or a Nightmare?

The DREAM Act is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, giving illegal immigrants false hopes for citizenship.  The people endorsing and supporting this bill that purports to help young immigrants show their readiness for citizenship, say little about the education aspect; instead they heavily emphasized the military aspect, showing that the DREAM act is just an attempt at gaining recruits.

The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act (DREAM Act) of 2007(s. 774) is a law which grants citizenship to young people who were brought to the U.S. years ago as undocumented immigrant children but have stayed in school, and kept out of trouble. Once the student graduates from high school, he or she would be permitted to apply for conditional status, which would authorize up to 6 years of legal residence.  This conditional status provides for the student to be treated as a resident alien, thus opening doors to financial aid as well. During that period, the student would be required to graduate from a 2-year college, complete at least 2 years towards a 4-year degree, or serve in the U.S. military for at least 2 years.   On the surface that sounds good.

But the reality is that the many (if not most) illegal immigrants who cannot afford to attend college can only take advantage of this opportunity to become citizens purportedly with two years of military service. And it ignores the fact that it is impossible to join the military for only two years. The minimum enlistment is 8 years.

Thus the benign and even generous DREAM Act takes on a more sinister appearance.

The bill in particular fails to take into account conscientious objectors who cannot afford college.  In a country where the rights of conscientious objectors have been protected since colonial times, they are completely ignored here.  Ask yourself, why is the military the only other option? If this bill were truly in support of gaining citizenship, would it not be more fitting to show an individual’s moral character and aptitude for citizenship, by allowing them the opportunity to perform in a civilian service position?  Not only would such a position benefit the individual seeking citizenship, but it would also benefit the community of which they seek to be a legal part.  By offering someone the opportunity to perform civilian service instead of military service, you give them the chance to show their moral character in an environment geared towards helping and supporting life, rather than killing and warfare.

This bill is misleading in that its real goal is not to help illegal immigrants as it implies. Instead it is set up as a way for the military to legally acquire recruits from a previously untapped source. Every year approximately 60,000 undocumented immigrants or children of immigrants (who have lived in the United States five years or longer) graduate from U.S. high schools. By even more aggressively marketing the military to this group, problems associated with the recruitment of foreigners such as poor English language skills and low educational levels could be alleviated.

 Chief Sponsor of the bill, Democratic Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois says, "It turns out that many in the Department of Defense believe, as I do, that the DREAM Act is an important part of making certain we have talented young men and women ready to serve in our military." 

Deputy Undersecretary for military personnel policy, Bill Carr, says the bill is a “very appealing” way of getting new recruits.

So what happens when an immigrant tries for citizenship through military service (aside from the fact that the enlistment is for eight years and not just two)? The individual must complete two full years of active duty service. If he is sent over seas to fight and injured and discharged prior to his two-year obligation, then he no longer qualifies for citizenship through military service. Even if he completed two full years prior to the injury, if the he was permanently injured, what kind of life could he lead upon his discharge? Many who would take the military route would do so to get money and citizenship to allow them to attend college, but such an injury could prevent them from continuing studies or even worse. Even without an injury, the Department of Defense’s own testimony to Congress shows that the money promised by the military for college is used a mere fifty percent of the time. 

While this program may be a win for the military it is a loss for the individual.

But time is not the only bar to citizenship. The immigrant must continue to show “exemplary moral character.”  While this is, of course, not impossible, approximately 25% of all people discharged from the military do not receive a fully honorable discharge. Those non-citizens who may fall into the 25% would also not be eligible for citizenship under this act.  Any type of small criminal charge or even a number of smaller punishments could add up to the immigrant being denied citizenship even after risking their life.

Nor does this protect the individual’s family.  Currently, a case the Center on Conscience & War is handling is one of a woman in the Army who is here on a Green Card whose husband was deported.  She felt she had no other choice but to go AWOL and leave with him and her family.  If she were one of the individuals trying for citizenship through the DREAM Act, she would no longer qualify.

The DREAM Act is filled with nothing but false hope. It may be a dream for the military, but it is a nightmare for the thousands of immigrants who are conned through its use.  It promises little to nothing in regards to gaining citizenship or education, instead it acts as a recruiting tool for the military.  Recruiters will continue to lie to the youth in order to get them to enlist and the DREAM Act will just be one more tool in that arsenal.

Do not let this Act pass just so that the U.S. Military can get more individuals to be sent overseas to fight. Contact your Senators and tell them you are sick of the military using false promises to lure our youth and that you will not stand by as another law is enacted to do just that. And that at the VERY LEAST consideration and accommodation should be made for conscientious objectors to war.

The DREAM Act has been introduced as part of the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act (s.1639).  This is currently up for discussion in the Senate.  If the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act fails to pass through the Senate, the proponent of the bill, Sen. Richard Durbin plans to attach the DREAM Act to the 2008 defense appropriations bill. The Senate reconvenes Tuesday, September 4th, it is imperative that you contact your senators expressing your concerns regarding this proposed legislation.  And while you are at it, make sure your Congressional member knows, too.

For more information regarding this bill please visit the following sites.

The Library of Congress Official Site for the DREAM Act:
http://rs9.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:SN00774:

Army Times Article on the DREAM Act: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/07/military_servicecitizenship_070716w/

COMD Article Regarding the DREAM Act:
http://www.comdsd.org/article_archive/ImmigrantMilitEnlist7-07.html

To find your Senator please visit: http://Senate.gov/