The Dream Act

[Gerry Clinchy]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/18/bu...dlines&emc=a25

There are some things I don't quite understand about this bill.

The bill would grant conditional legal status to illegal immigrant high school graduates if they came to the United States before they were 16 years old, have been here for more than five years and have no criminal records, if they attend college or serve in the military for two years.

I can understand that kids brought here as infants, had no control over that. Their parents had that control; and also the control that kept the kids here as they grew up.

I don't quite understand how it helps the situation of discouraging illegal immigration by granting these kids legal status.

First off, it encourages the illegal parents to remain here long enough for the kids to graduate high school. The parents may, or may not, have paid taxes to help pay for the education the kids have gotten.

So, some of these illegal parents might decide to stay here (rather than return home) in spite of lack of work. Additional burden on social services?

If the kid graduates from HS, might there be another big stink about sending his parents home? Even if one or both of the parents has, along the way, acquired a criminal record?

Which also makes me wonder why, if the kid did have acquire a criminal record, how come he's still here?

Is it customary for non-citizens to serve in our armed forces? When they would be inducted, wouldn't the status of their residency be questioned?

They attend college? On whose dime? Is an illegal resident eligible to receive benefit of a taxpayer-supported institution like a state college? I'm guessing that most such illegal residents wouldn't have the funds to pay for college. Maybe I'm wrong on that.

The best quote of the article was:

On a call organized by the White House on Friday, David Aguilar, the deputy commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, said that strict eligibility requirements in the bill for young immigrants who are here would dissuade others outside the country from trying coming to the country illegally. Addressing concerns from lawmakers who say they want more border security before voting for the legislation, Mr. Aguilar said, “At no point in history has the border been as secure as it is today.”

Geez! if our borders are more secure today than ever, it must have been hell before! Maybe he's talking about the Canadian border?

Graduating from high school is a "strict" eligibility requirement?

Maybe there is a way to grant permanent status to some of these illegals. I would start with those who originally had valid visas, but over-stayed their visas, for some reason. And further, start with those in that group who are spouses or children of U.S. citizens.

I'd guess that INS seems to be pretty busy just taking care of the backlog of visa applications for legal residency ... much less having to set up a whole new mechanism for validating eligibility for quite possibly hundreds of thousands of illegal residents who came here illegally ... and making the legal applications wait even longer. Oh, maybe we can just create a bunch of new jobs at INS to do this?

[dnf777]

I'm REALLY naive when it comes to educating illegal aliens.

How do they get enrolled and attend school without being discovered? Or is it that they ARE discovered, and then we just don't do anything about it?

About the only thing I do understand about immigration policy, is that NEITHER party has done Jack-snipe about it in the 30 some years I've been paying attention.

[BonMallari]

I'm REALLY naive when it comes to educating illegal aliens.

How do they get enrolled and attend school without being discovered? Or is it that they ARE discovered, and then we just don't do anything about it?

About the only thing I do understand about immigration policy, is that NEITHER party has done Jack-snipe about it in the 30 some years I've been paying attention.

I can answer that from personal experience....especially in the State of California....I am a US citizen by birth (even though I was born in Germany),but was born at Fort Stoltsenberg...

anyhow fast forward 40 yrs and I was trying to get a replacement SS card,they were unwilling to issue me a new one because I lacked a FS 240 form which is a consular report of birth...my attorney wondered how I was able to attend school and even get thru college without one...

here is the problem : In California you only have to prove state residency not US citizenship to attend most schools and universities...once the illegals establish residency in the state they are good to go throughout the system

[badbullgator]

Looks like the dream is turning into a nightmare for obongo and co

[dnf777]

I'm not against LEGAL immigration per se, but right now, with 10% unemployment, urban sprawl, diminishing training grounds, hunting tracts being turned into planned communities.....why the HELL to we want to invite more people?? This party is full!
This isn't the the days where we had western expansion to fall back on! Our water resources are being tapped to the max in many areas already.

It should take some special talent or skill to gain admission....not just evading border patrol agents for 5 years and not failing out of school.

[BrianW]

...why the HELL to we want to invite more people?? This party is full!
.

Easy.
from Yahoo News:
Hispanic activists and immigrant advocates had looked to the bill as a down payment on what they had hoped would be broader action by Obama and the current Democrat controlled Congress to give the nation's 10 million to 12 million illegal immigrants a chance at legal status and thus hopefully become "blue voters" in gratitude. (italics mine)

It targeted the most sympathetic of the millions of illegal immigrants ...

Democrats' determination to vote on the bill before year's end reflected the party's efforts to satisfy Hispanic groups whose backing has been critical in recent elections and will be again in 2012. They said they'll try again in the next Congress, despite the increased GOP presence.

"The echo of this vote will be loud and long," said Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez, D-Ill., a key House sponsor of the bill. "We are at the tipping point that will define the political alignment of the Republican and Democratic parties with Latino voters for a generation."

To me it's quite clear, the donkeys are desperate for new voters in light of the recent elephant stampede. Letting the kids simply achieve resident alien status wouldn't fulfill that goal.

[dback]

I'm REALLY naive when it comes to educating illegal aliens.

How do they get enrolled and attend school without being discovered? Or is it that they ARE discovered, and then we just don't do anything about it?

This issue has been much 'cussed & discussed' in these parts. Three of my kids are teachers and it irritates the crap out of them that the districts (Federal law) must provide spanish language class for these kids, yet the Feds provide little to no funds for it. Also the case with the slow/AD (sorry....forget the name for the classes) kids. The burden has been squarely placed on property owners within the districts.

About the only thing I do understand about immigration policy, is that NEITHER party has done Jack-snipe about it in the 30 some years I've been paying attention.

Dandy little 'third rail issue'.......Hispanic community will be the majority within (don't hold me to this #) something like 50 yrs. Those in power....wish to stay there.

[dnf777]

Dandy little 'third rail issue'.......Hispanic community will be the majority within (don't hold me to this #) something like 50 yrs. Those in power....wish to stay there.

I don't know about a national level, but remember with our electoral college, they may gain a "voting majority" much sooner via states like Texas and California.

[depittydawg]

I'm REALLY naive when it comes to educating illegal aliens.

How do they get enrolled and attend school without being discovered? Or is it that they ARE discovered, and then we just don't do anything about it?

About the only thing I do understand about immigration policy, is that NEITHER party has done Jack-snipe about it in the 30 some years I've been paying attention.

That's because Wall Street loves illegals. They drive the cost of labor down.

[depittydawg]

Easy.
from Yahoo News:
Hispanic activists and immigrant advocates had looked to the bill as a down payment on what they had hoped would be broader action by Obama and the current Democrat controlled Congress .

Wow, you mean Obama didn't come through on his promises? What a shocking revelation.