The Senate may reconsider the DREAM Act again as early as next week. Senator Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announced in his blog posted September 14, 2010, that he intends to add the DREAM Act to the Defense Authorization bill which the Senate will vote on next week. The DREAM Act would not be alone as an added amendment to this upcoming defense bill; also included as an amendment to the defense bill, the equally controversial repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” which would allow gays and lesbians to openly serve in the military.
The DREAM Act would allow students who came to the United States under the age of 16, and who have been present in the United States for more than five years, to obtain their permanent residence if they complete college or join the military. In many cases these children have been in the United States since they were too young to remember their home country and have been raised as Americans. Most often they were brought to the United States by their parents and did not have a choice in or even knowledge of their immigration. If the children were removed from the United States, we would be sending them home to a “foreign country.” The DREAM Act gives these children an opportunity to become involved and productive members of the American society.
The Senate last considered the DREAM Act as a stand-alone bill in 2007. In 2007, it was narrowly defeated by 8 votes. If passed by the Senate, the Act would still undergo scrutiny in the conference committee reconciliation and would then be up for a vote in both the Senate and House of Representatives. Presently the House of Representative’s defense bill does not include the DREAM Act amendment.
The DREAM Act would allow students who came to the United States under the age of 16, and who have been present in the United States for more than five years, to obtain their permanent residence if they complete college or join the military. In many cases these children have been in the United States since they were too young to remember their home country and have been raised as Americans. Most often they were brought to the United States by their parents and did not have a choice in or even knowledge of their immigration. If the children were removed from the United States, we would be sending them home to a “foreign country.” The DREAM Act gives these children an opportunity to become involved and productive members of the American society.
The Senate last considered the DREAM Act as a stand-alone bill in 2007. In 2007, it was narrowly defeated by 8 votes. If passed by the Senate, the Act would still undergo scrutiny in the conference committee reconciliation and would then be up for a vote in both the Senate and House of Representatives. Presently the House of Representative’s defense bill does not include the DREAM Act amendment.
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