Immigration reform makes headlines nearly daily. On May 11, 2011, the Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid, introduced the DREAM Act in the United States Senate. The legislation seeks to address some of the 11 million undocumented persons currently in the United States.
- · What is the DREAM Act?
The DREAM Act would help undocumented college students and members of the military become U.S. citizens. The Act only applies to those who were brought to the U.S. as young children illegally, through no fault of their own.
- · What is the rationale behind the DREAM Act?
The DREAM Act recognizes that the people who would benefit are fully Americanized, having gone to school in the U.S. and, perhaps, not even realizing that that they are not citizens until they apply for a college, a job, or a driver’s license.
By going to college and serving in the military, these people are bettering and contributing to the well-being of the United States.
- · What’s the status of the DREAM Act?
On June 28th of 2011, Senator Dick Durbin led a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees and Border Security hearing on the DREAM Act amnesty bill. At the beginning of the hearing, Durbin stated, “When I look around this room, I see America’s future, our doctors, our teachers, our nurses, our engineers, our scientists, our soldiers, our congressmen, our senators, and maybe our president.”
- · Will the DREAM Act pass Congress and become law?
Only the future will tell if the DREAM Act becomes law. It may be attached to other immigration measures such as the E-Verify measure which is the government’s social security number internet verification system.
The E-Verify measures have not yet become law and critics are concerned that there will be numerable false positives. In other words, workers who are citizens may be turned down for work if their social security number is not verified.
There is also discussion that the DREAM Act may be attached to a military spending bill.
- Where to get help with your immigration issues
If you have immigration questions or concerns, be sure to consult with a qualified immigration attorney. Immigration is a very specialized area of law; be sure your attorney focuses his or her practice on immigration law.
We focus our practice on immigration law and help people just like you. You are not alone.
Your next step is to contact our office: 513-791-1673 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting or Thomasjr@geygan.com. We will analyze your case and legal opportunities as well as gently walk you through the immigration process. In addition we explain immigration issues such as how to get a green card or become a citizen, represent you in front of the Department of State as needed, and aggressively fight for your legal rights.