Though the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act of 2007 – which would have allowed the children of illegal immigrants a fast track to citizenship if they joined the U.S. military – died on the U.S. Senate floor last week, Massachusetts lawmakers and immigrants’ rights organizations say they will keep the fight to revive it alive.
According to the National Immigration Law Center’s website, the DREAM Act would have provided higher education and citizenship opportunities for undocumented immigrant children who have lived in the United States for five years, immigrated when they were 15 or younger and graduated high school or are enrolled in college.
Those children who registered with the military would have been granted a six-year “conditional resident” status and been allowed to apply for permanent citizenship, according to the bill.
American Civil Liberties Union officials said Congress missed an opportunity to get real immigration reform moving.
“Had it passed, [the act would have] signaled a chance to deal with the broken immigration system and opened the door to further discussions,” said Legislative Consultant Max Sevillia.
“Why put obstacles in their way or kick them out?” said ACLU spokesman Chris Ott. “Some people say they are here illegally, but even if that’s the case, it’s not the kids’ fault. It’s the parents’ decision. Why should the kid be punished?”
Minutes before the vote that shot down the bill, according to the NILC, Sen. Richard Durban (D-Ill.) released a statement opposing the bill.
“By creating a special path to citizenship that is unavailable to other prospective immigrants — including young people whose parents respected the nation’s immigration laws. . . [the act] falls short,” Durban said in a statement.
Durban also said the bill has loopholes that would allow illegal immigrants to become citizens even if they had committed misdemeanors or felonies.
“With a more educated workforce, [the bill would] give these students opportunities to pursue their educational dream and contribute to our economy in the long run,” Bell said.
By helping children of illegal immigrants afford and attend college, the act would have also enabled American students to experience a different kind of diversity on campus, said Howard Thurman Center Assistant Director Raul Fernandez in an email.
“The DREAM Act [would] introduce a new type of student to Boston University. . . whose parents have left their homeland and risked everything for the sake of their children,” Fernandez said.
U.S. Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) voted in favor of the bill and called for improvements in immigrants’ education rights.
“These would-be students and soldiers are American in every way except their immigration status,” Kerry said in an Oct. 24 press release.
