Many students across the nation are denied college admission and are sometimes deported because of their immigration statuses. Most of them are brought here to America at an early age, growing up with American ideals and assimilating into the culture.
Two months ago, the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act was passed in Congress but blocked in the Senate by four votes. According to Senator Barbara Boxer, “We have once again turned our backs on some of the best and brightest young people who grew up in America, love America, and want to serve America.”
The DREAM Act is a piece of legislation that provides a pathway to citizenship for immigrant students who have been in the United States for at least five years, graduated from high school, completed two years of college or two years of service in the U.S. armed forces, and demonstrated strong moral character. This will enable immigrant students who walk among us to give back to American society.
Many immigrant students who have strong academic merits are in constant danger of being deported. It would be a waste of American tax dollars to educate them and then send them away. It is counterintuitive to have other countries benefit from these young people. In an increasingly competitive global competition, we need as many college graduates as possible to move this nation forward and keep our nation’s global position on top.
Although some may argue that this piece of legislation is a blatant invitation to residents of other countries to come to America and steal American jobs, this legislation has limits and restrictions that only qualify those who have been in the country for at least five years.
The DREAM Act will make the skilled labor market more competitive by including those who would not otherwise have the opportunity to work. This would result in having the best and the brightest compete with each other, thus ensuring the sharpness of the American edge in the global market.
I think that America should give these young people a chance. These people, despite their countries of origin, pledged allegiance to the flag that they have learned to love. These young men and women are American at heart, and if given a chance they would gladly pay taxes and contribute back to the society that educated them.
As President Obama said in his State of the Union address last week, “Let’s stop expelling talented, responsible young people who could be staffing our research labs or starting a new business, who could be further enriching this nation.”