Make DREAM a reality

With the increadible drop-out rate in many immigrant communities, it’s an incredible accomplishment that these students make it to college at all. Many of these students face social, financial, cutltural, and personal obstacles that would normally make achieveing higher education impossible. There has been improvement with the introduction of in-state tuition bills in various states. But that only goes part of the way. These students need access to financial aid and student support programs. Undocumented college students face such an uncertain future, yet they have this immense faith in the United States. Even those undocumented soldiers serving in the military believe that the United States will take care of them. These people have already made positive contributions to the United States. The schools are still receiving funding based on student enrollment. The military gets to meet quota numbers based on recruitment of undocumented enlistees. These undocumented people are for all intentional puposes upstanding citizens. Yet these people are not full players in the system, at no fault of their own. It’s not as if serving in the military or completing two years of college is some big “loop hole” to US citizenship. Just look at the statistics. The average US citizen, cannot/would not be able to say they meet those requirements. For the revitalization of an aging(babyboomer)population and for national security, the DREAM Act must become a reality.

Lily E. Espinoza, Director, EOPS at CA Community College, at 1:45 pm EDT on July 19, 2007

Dream On

The bottom line — illegal is illegal. We need to be taking care of our own American citizens and legal immigrants — not caring for those who flagrantly break the laws of this country. Period.

NoVA mom, at 2:30 pm EDT on July 19, 2007

Some of these students are obviously the best and the brightest to have gotten as far as college and in some cases enrolled in advanced degree programs. It would be short-sighted and just stupid to educate these kids and not let them become assets to this country. Don’t let them take their education to another country, we need them here! The DREAM act sounds fair and just. p.s. lord knows we need them in the military, another job our"citizens” don’t want to do.

frances, at 6:55 pm EDT on July 19, 2007

DREAM SHOULD PASS!

THE DREAM ACT WILL ONLY BE ELIGIBLE FOR THOSE STUDENTS WHO HAVE GOOD MORALS AND CONDUCT. THOSE CHILDREN WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM THE DREAM ACT DID NOT MAKE THE CHOICE OF COMING TO THIS COUNTRY WHEN THEY WERE YOUNG. MOST STUDENTS WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM THE DREAM ACT BECAUSE THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO USE THEIR TALENTS. ONLY STUDENTS WHO GO TO HIGHER EDUCATION OR THOSE WHO WISH TO SERVE N THE MILITARY WOULD BENEFIT. I SUPPORT THIS BILL 100%!

JESSICA, at 6:05 am EDT on July 20, 2007

I think most U.S. citizens would agree with awarding citizenship to illegals willing to serve in our military, however, to allow illegals the right to compete for the limited number of federal or state grants with our own hard working and poverty stricken youth, who have also defied the odds and “dream” of a better life, is unfair and undermines their efforts.

Wouldn’t it better serve all involved if those lobbying for amnesty for “all” illegal aliens, would concentrate only on the good students and those wishing to serve in our military, who are the only “real” assets to our society? The majority of U.S. citizens will never agree to any form of amnesty for people who have willfully violated our immigration laws, but many have no objection to allowing a path to citizenship to children who were brought into this country at a young age and strived to do well in school, WITHOUT giving them an opportunity to later sponser their parents for legalization or citizenship. The millions/billions spent lobbying Congress would be much better spent on scholarships for these kids, than wasted on cheap labor and criminal aliens.

Annette, at 6:05 am EDT on July 20, 2007

I’m Personally Disgusted with NY State

My state, NY State, provides illegal immigrants with in-state tuition breaks of in-state residents.

I didn’t vote for this, and if there was some way to penalize former NY Governor George Pataki for this, I would.

Jon S, I’m Personally Disgusted with NY, at 6:20 pm EDT on July 20, 2007

I support DERAM ACT!

Our government has spent billions of dollars on these kids who brought to this country illegally. These kids are our assets and they will payback their dues by giving them this opportunity to finish their education in college and work for this country or let them to serve in our military. Those students who worked hard and stayed out of any trouble deserve a chance to become part of our society. If these kids barred from any higher education or from an active and productive job, then we are going to have a massive social unrest. The reality is that they are not going anywhere regardless of this ACT! America is the only place they know and lived. WE HAVE TO ACCEPT THIS FACT....

Michelle, at 5:55 am EDT on July 21, 2007

Dream Act

BY passing the Dream act my dreams and the dreams of thousands of other illegal students can become true. it is difficult for us not to have the same rights as other students, even if we have a high average, we still dont qualify for many programs offered by intitutions. I came to this country when I was 15, we came legally, with a tourist’s visa. My father had to get us out of my country (Colombia) due to the extreme violence of that time. violence that is still happening at this present day. we left everything behind. two months after being here I enrolled in high school. it was a great experience because it was a totally new world for me. new language, new culture, new weather. everything.after I graduated, I was afraid to go to college because of my situation in the country. but anyway I did, working two jobs I saved some money to pay for tuition. at this moment I graduated from a two year college and im ready to continue my education at a senior college. but the situation without paper sometimes destroys my enthusiasm to continue. what will I do with a bachelors degree if I cant get a decent job without a work permit? even with my associate degree, the doors close for me. its like a dead end.

at this moment im very much hoping that the government of the United States will pass the DREAM ACT. we as students can offer a lot to this country if given the opportunity.

David Diaz, current student at BMCC (borough of manhattan Community College), at 9:05 pm EDT on July 24, 2007

Dream Act

All of you who are against the DREAM Act has no sense of human decency whatsoever. Imagine, being punished for 20years for some thing that your parent did. If you can exercise some critical thinking, then you would understand that this country was NOT built on the sins of the father visiting the other generation. Those students who stay in school and do the right thing should be awarded their legal status. Their is fair and humane thing to do.

Margaret, at 12:30 pm EDT on July 27, 2007

DREAM ACT

Today is my first day of Law School!! This is a big achievement for me and my family, however, being undocumented for the last 17 years has made it difficult to come this far. I love this country because this is the only home I know. The DREAM Act will make my dream of becoming a Civil Rights Lawyer a reality.

Luis, Law Student at California, at 5:50 am EDT on August 3, 2007

pass the dream act

Dream Act is a great oportunnity for those kids who want to join in the military. Im one of them!!!!!!!!!

luis garcia, pass the dream act, at 5:35 am EDT on September 2, 2007

I don’t understand why people are referring to this piece of legislation as a hand out or as a reward for illegal behavior. Together with my family, I came to this country when I was twelve from the country of Colombia-no choice of mine. I graduated from High School with honors and a number of scholarships which I couldn’t accept because of my status of residency.With no papers, but plenty of enthusiasm I’ve worked and continue to work all different types of odd jobs so I could enrolled at one of U-Mass’s schools of Engineering. Im still there and almost done, whats to be of me a year from now?..five years from now?...thats a very good question which I always struggle in answering when asked by my professors and peers...????Even though I wouldn’t have to because of bachelors, if the Dream act goes through I wouldn’t object to serving in the military while striving forth with my desire to go to Law School and focus in patent law.

The Dream Act is not a hand out, its a chance at opportunity!

Alejandro, Engineering Student at University of Mass, at 2:00 pm EDT on September 21, 2007

Thanks and God Bless

I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU ALL FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE DREAM ACT. IT IS A FAIR AND HUMANE THING TO DO. WE CAN DEBATE AGAINST THOSE WHO OPPOSE US BUT IN THE END JUSTICE PREVAILS OVER GREED AND EVIL. I UNLIKE SOME PEOPLE HOLD STRONG TO MY FAITH AND THAT IS WHAT DRIVES ME TO CONTINUE IN HOPES FOR A BETTER FUTURE WITHOUT BARRIERS OR BETTER SAID BORDERS!!~!

SUPPORT THE DREAM ACT!! AND LETS NOT LOOK DOWN TO OUR OPPOSERS. THEY WILL SOON SEE THE LIGHT. ACHIEVERS WILL ALWAYS BE HATED ON AND MANY WILL TRY HARD TO PUT THEM DOWN, BUT ITS OUR STRENGTH WE HAVE INSIDE THAT WILL KEEP THEM OFF OF US!!! GOD BLESS THE WORLD AND KEEP IT EQUAL AND FOR ALL OF US TO SHARE ITS FRUIT!

LES, at 3:00 pm EDT on October 16, 2007

It’s got my vote because,

These illegal “aliens” that we speak of are human beings. Some have families of their own, and can not provide for them. Yes they can go to school. Thank God that the schools have helped in making it affordable. But what good is going to school if you can’t wok? These senators trying to stop the act from being passed are no better than slave owners. They are cold hearted oppressors.

sarah, sarah, at 8:40 pm EST on December 19, 2007