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Senate urged to approve DREAM Act
September 27, 2007
By ELIZABETH LLORENTE
Staff Writer
Immigration advocates in New Jersey called on the U.S. Senate to pass a measure that would help legalize the immigration status of children who meet a strict set of criteria.The measure, known as the DREAM Act, would grant legal status to possibly tens of thousands of illegal immigrant youth who entered the United States before the age of 16, have lived here at least five years and graduated from a U.S. high school.This would enable many illegal immigrant students – whose status typically leads to problems obtaining loans and grants for college – to continue their post-secondary education, the advocates said.
"All many of these students have ever known is American culture in all its manifestations," Charles "Shai" Goldstein, executive director of the New Jersey Immigration Policy Network, said at a press conference at Rutgers University in New Brunswick. "America succeeds when we integrate immigrant communities."The DREAM Act – which stands for Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors -- has been introduced in past years, but ran into roadblocks as critics denounced it as a reward for the children of lawbreakers."The American people have made clear that they don't want a form of amnesty," said Gayle Kesselman, a Carlstadt resident and co-chairwoman of New Jersey Citizens for Immigration Control. "People who crash the line and come into our country illegally shouldn't get special privileges or financial breaks."I'm not opposed to anybody going to college, but I don't see why American taxpayers should make it available to them at a discount.
"DREAM Act advocates say most the children of illegal immigrants had no say in their parents' decision to enter the country illicitly, and therefore should not suffer the consequences.Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., reintroduced the measure recently and has been pushing to get it included in a defense appropriations bill pending in the Senate. The Senate may vote on the defense bill within the next week.
"By allowing these students, who would be otherwise qualified, to attend college or serve in our military," said Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., "we provide them with the opportunity to become exemplary citizens and achieve the American dream."Bills in the New Jersey legislature that would allow undocumented high school graduates to attend college at in-state tuition rates have languished for years. So, unable to pay out-of-state fees, many forgo four-year colleges or try to scrape together money for county community colleges.There are an estimated 1,200 undocumented high school graduates in New Jersey who would probably apply to public colleges each year if they could pay in-state tuition.The federal bill initially would grant qualifying undocumented children temporary legal status, but would extend it to permanent legal residency if a person demonstrates "good moral character," and studies for at least two years in college or serves in the U.S. armed forces for at least two years.
"The kids try so hard to try to be good citizens," said Tamara Morales, vice president of Casa Puebla-New Jersey, a Passaic-based non-profit group that serves the immigrant community. "There are so many undocumented kids who have great potential, but with no real options for the future, they end up just working low-skill jobs or they get married young."
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