Justice

< Back ///Rapid Response 11/29/10

DREAM Act

While prospects of comprehensive immigration reform don't appear likely anytime soon, there are efforts underway during the lame duck session of Congress to try to pass the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act. It is likely that the DREAM Act will come up for a vote early this week.

The DREAM Act is a bipartisan bill introduced by Senators Durbin (D-IL) and Lugar (R-IN) as S. 729 and Representatives Berman (D-CA), Diaz-Balaret (R-FL), and Roybal-Allard (D-CA) as H.R. 1751. If passed, the DREAM Act would create a pathway to permanent residence and eventual citizenship for thousands of upstanding high school graduates who were brought to the United States as children years ago.

These young people, including several who are members of Disciples congregations, have grown up in our churches and communities and include honor roll students, star athletes, talented artists, and aspiring teachers, doctors, and entrepreneurs. Each year, approximately 65,000 capable high school graduates are prevented from attending college or finding any legal employment due to their undocumented immigration status. Our immigration law currently has no mechanism to consider their special circumstances.

The DREAM Act would allow those who were brought to the United States before they were 16, have been here for at least five years, and have graduated from high school the opportunity to apply for conditional residency status. After six years of being in this status, those who complete two years of college or military service could then adjust their status to permanent residency and pursue a pathway to citizenship. The DREAM Act would also allow states to provide in-state tuition opportunities for these students.

Please contact your Senators and Representative to let them know your concern for undocumented young people who through no fault of their own now find themselves in the United States without an immigration status that will enable them to become productive members of U.S. society. The Capital switchboard is 866-945-0566.

Rev. Jennifer Riggs,
Director of Refugee and Immigration Ministries
Disciples Home Missions
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E-mail: jriggs@dhm.disciples.org
Telephone: (317) 713-2643 or toll-free (888) 346-2631
Web site: http://www.discipleshomemissions.org/RIM/