This sidebar accompanies a longer article, Building the Future by Shaping the Present.

The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act is a piece of proposed federal legislation in the United States that would address the situation faced by young people who were brought to the U.S. years ago as undocumented immigrant children, who have since grown up here, stayed in school, and kept out of trouble.

To qualify for immigration relief under the DREAM Act, a student must have been brought to the U.S. more than five years ago when he or she was 15 years old or younger and must be able to demonstrate good moral character. Under the DREAM Act, once such a student graduates from high school, he or she would be permitted to apply for conditional status, which would authorize up to six years of legal residence. During the six-year period, the student would be required to graduate from a two-year college, complete at least two years toward a four-year degree, or serve in the U.S. military for at least two years. Permanent residence would be granted at the end of the six-year period if the student has met these requirements and has continued to maintain good moral character.

Each year about 65,000 U.S.–raised students who would qualify for the DREAM Act’s benefits graduate from high school. Even though they have completed secondary education in U.S. schools, they face unique barriers to higher education, are unable to work legally in this country, and often live in constant fear of detection by immigration authorities.

Currently, children who immigrate to the United States from another country can only obtain legal status through their parents; there is no independent method to accomplish this. If a child is brought into the country illegally there is no method of becoming a legal resident.

The DREAM Act, in different forms, has been introduced several times in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, and the text of the bill has also been included in various other immigration-related bills, though none so far has been successful. The future of the DREAM Act is uncertain at this point.

Serious concerns among organizers
Significant criticisms have been raised about the fact that the latest version of the DREAM Act, if it ever passes, is going to primarily benefit military recruiters and only a relatively small number of undocumented students who manage to get into college. There are strong concerns among many organizers that there is a much larger pool of undocumented youths who are more likely to wind up fighting and dying in unjust U.S. wars if the DREAM Act is adopted. For more information, read Jorge Mariscal's informative article, "The Dilemma of 'Double Deportation'".

Thanks to the National Immigration Law Center and Project Yano for information in this section.

This sidebar accompanies a longer article, Building the Future by Shaping the Present.