DREAM Act Begins With Some Pieces Taking Effect This Week
The DREAM Act begins in earnest this week as one of the most sweeping changes in immigration policy in decades took effect Wednesday.
The act will allow close to 1.7 million young immigrants apply for the temporary right to live and work in the US without the risk of deportation, the Washington Post reported. The DREAM Act begins a new era of citizenship opportunities for this group, which has waited for years for Congress to formally pass it.
The issue has become a focal point for Democrats, especially those trying to appeal to Latino voters, the Associated Press reported.
The DREAM Act focuses on immigrants who were brought to the United States by their parents as children, and, though technically living here illegally, they never chose to break any laws. Immigration advocacy groups were surprised earlier this week when officials posted applications forms online for the first immigrants to begin the path to citizenship.
As the DREAM Act begins, these groups are now planning workshops to help hundreds of immigrants learn if they qualify and how to apply, the Washington Post reported. Families are now scrambling to gather the necessary school records and utility bills to begin the process.
“People are very, very anxious to file, so we’ve been telling them to over-prepare,” said Emid Gonzalez, manager of legal services at Casa de Maryland, which put on a workshop this week for immigrants. “The phone has been ringing off the hook.”
The DREAM Act begins with a focus on immigrants age 15 to 31 who came to the country before they were 16 and have lived in the US continuously for at least the last five years. They must also be free of serious criminal convictions and have graduated high school or be enrolled or have served in the US military.
Photo by Dreamer movement (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Tags : Dream Act, DREAM Act begins, DREAM Act starts, DREAM Act stipulations, Immigration act, immigration reform, obama immigration
Posted: August 15, 2012
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Aug 15, 2012
Great, lets get rid of our legal immigration process for votes. My parents came here legally if this was around they would not have even bothered. Obama is seriously a complete joke, say and do anything to win an election.
Aug 15, 2012
"Judged… by the content of my character" -MLK Jr. (please read)
I am a young man born and raised in a small California town. I was taught when I was young if I was a good person and worked hard I could achieve any goal I set for myself. We the people want to live the rest of our lives in the America we grew up in, not just a part of a global government, bowing our heads and accepting the sliver of the pie they choose to give us. I want to make pies, big pies, delicious pies, unrestricted by government. If I burn a few in the oven, I don't want government to bail me out. I want a government who will allow me to succeed or fail based on my merit. Martin Luther King Jr. said it best "judged by the content of my character". I want MY American dream back. I WANT AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM BACK.
Right before our very eyes, OUR tax money is being used to fund our President's campaign. Are YOU okay with this? Untold amounts of tax payer money is being used to fund things like Air Force One, ground transport, teams of internet campaigners, security and stadium rentals etc. paid for with tax payer money the likes of which we have never seen in history. Even the President's State of the Union address was a stump speech to fuel his campaign. This is all happening while the democratic party doesn't even have a coherant view on the budget of our nation. He promised a transparent administration, and we are getting record spending and an economy struggling to recover. Obama is simply not working.
Obama's campaign is going to do everything in it's power to DESTROY Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan in these weeks leading up to this election, due to the fact the his record as President in nothing short of failure. Do not be deceived. Mitt Romney's exquisite leadership and Paul Ryan's educated and brilliant ideas are a dose of medicine this great nation desperately needs. In what could be the most important election of our generation, I urge you all to make the right choice come this November.
Aug 15, 2012
this guy just wants all the votes for november.
Aug 15, 2012
ooopps it was me [husband].
Aug 15, 2012
Again the Liberals come around and do things like this to garner more votes. I have no problem with legal immigration, that is what our country was founded on! Our country cant afford for the liberals to continually change the rules, before elections. They did it with their mass naturalization's when Clinton was in Office, now their doing it again with Obama! People wake up and smell the BS, these idiots are giving away our country. It use to be a privilege for people to immigrate here, now it's treated like a right!
People use to have to work very hard to immigrate to the United States and when they finished the process it actually meant something to them. Now it's all just given to them and it means next to nothing, just sneak into the country and if your hear long enough the liberals will think up the "Dream Act" and bam your an American citizen…. Hmm just doesn't sound like sound like good judgement to me!
Thank you and have a nice day.
Aug 16, 2012
Just what we need! not! They are taking the jobs that my grandchildren should have as teenagers! Too bad my legal grandchildren who were born here have to compete with this s —
Aug 16, 2012
See the picture of my grandmother in my profile picture, the requirement for her to gain her citizenship was to learn English.
Aug 16, 2012
This is why "AMERICANS" SAY OBAMA IS THE WORST PRESIDENT WE EVER HAVE ELECTED!
PLEASE GET OUT AND VOTE FOR A CANDIDATE WHO WILL HELP ALL PEOPLE.
Aug 16, 2012
$465.00 now buys you American citizenship.
Aug 16, 2012
Damn the sorry POS POTUS for betraying this country to the border trash who now openly line up for their work permits while the sorry piece of trash we call our president, hands out free tamales and burritos while Americans search in vain for jobs. I hate republicans but I plan to vote for them. I'm sick to death of this traitorous muslim pretender POS.
Aug 16, 2012
As an American citizen, born and raised in the states, it's hard for me to even get into a good college, not because of my intelligence, but because of the competition with every other American teenager. I love Obama but I hate that this passed. :/
Aug 16, 2012
Ya know I am totally all for things like equality, and rights for everyone, but ya know, when I find out one of my friends who lives in San Francisco gets a grant because his family immigrated to the U.s. and are poor it upsets me slightly, especially it's a $10,000 grant a semester.
Aug 16, 2012
OOOHHHHHH GOD!!!! WHY IN THE FUCK.
Aug 16, 2012
I feel the same way, I am going to be in almost a 60,000 dollar debt because I had to take loans to go to college. I couldn't even get the help to be able to go. I'm not racist or anything but try helping the people that are legally part of this country before we try helping everybody else.
Aug 16, 2012
Yea fuck those Mexicans taking my financial aide!
Aug 16, 2012
Kevin Kennelley…the above statement is false. This isn't a law. None of these kids will be allowed to gain citizenship from this bill. It is a temporary action plan in place by the government that can be revoked at any time. This will not lead to citizenship for ANY of the applicants. Please read/learn more about political subjects so it at least seems like you know what you're talking about.
Aug 16, 2012
I can't believe the selfishness that some people on these comments emit. Can you stop thinking about yourself for once and have some compassion on others who are less fortunate. "Help me before you help someone else who is most likely in a worse off situation then me and who has less opportunities in their home country". Come on how is it morally correct that you want to take all the opportunity from someone who is most likely poor and instead keep it for yourself? I don't usually waste my time posting comments because I know someone will come and try to diffuse my point of view, but I can not reply to this article and all I read are a bunch of BS negative comments.
Aug 16, 2012
Its sad how their giving them an Amnesty when our own kids cannot even find jobs or even get Tuition Assistance but these illegals get a free ride/spot in college before our own. Everyone that came to America "Legally" had to work their assess off, why don't these 1.7 million people do the same, wait their damn turn in line like the rest of the people. Heck we cant even afford to feed, cloth, our own.
Aug 16, 2012
this great! the people of the united states has finaly spoken…it is necessary that all the people should be repesented by congress not just those who are here. be ever so humble of an experiance to be an american after so long inwaiting…
Aug 16, 2012
Wait why "only Latinos" instead of Asians, Europeans, Africans, Australians, Middle Eastern & world wide? This is bullshit! What if my parents came to the states illegally when I was small from Germany? Why it wouldn't affect me? Please someone answer my question because this is not right!
Aug 16, 2012
As a republican, your a fucking idiot! President Johnson,Hoover,Z.Taylor,H.Harrison,S.Grant,Jackson,G- Harding,HW Bush & of course Walker Bush all are worst President then Obama. Do your homework before you speak & VOTE!
Aug 16, 2012
This is wrong on so many levels. A total sellout of legitimate American citizens. I am outraged! Obama needs to be booted out ASAP. For those of you interested in doing something about illegal immigration that does not involve amnesty, see the numbersusa website.
Aug 16, 2012
Obama is ruining the government. He is so obsessed with votes that he doesn't realize how much this will cost. He should, besides not wasting this money, at least use it to help pay off current college grads so that the overwhelming debts in student loans can disappear.
Aug 16, 2012
then I think you should study harder and try harder just like the other american teenagers that did try harder then you and got in the good college you wanted and same for all of you slackers blaming it on other people!
Aug 16, 2012
Explain to me how these illegal immigrants are getting more opportunities than you have? You're an American, you have access to education, work, and do not have to fear deportation. Because of Obama, neither do your peers who might be illegal. The DREAM Act doesn't say "These guys get to cut in front of you when it comes to school and jobs". All it says is "They won't be pulled out of the line". These bill makes the playing level EQUAL, it doesn't give them the benefit, and give you a disadvantage. If you're smart, you'll surpass them. If they're smarter than you, they'll surpass you. It doesn't matter where you're born… if you're smart, you should be able to succeed, can we not agree on that? Thank you, Obama, for letting intelligent, hard-working people have the chance to succeed, no matter what side of the border they were born on that.
Aug 16, 2012
Our country was founded on legal immigration? Uh… what part of the twilight zone do you live in? Last time I checked, we came here on boats, killed off the people who already lived on this land, said "This is ours now" and then illegally brought over a bunch of Africans, that were enslaved and force to do manual labor. Yep, clearly this is "legal immigration" to you. Here that, Mexicans? If you want to be legal, just kill the people living on the land, import some slaves. Might I recommend you start the slaughter with this "siumike" guy?
Aug 16, 2012
Yep, Obama is clearly ruining the country by letting intelligent, hard-working illegal youth to work and educate themselves. Some of these people have even fought in our military, and yet you say "You're illegal, go back to Mexico". What a privileged idiot you are…
Aug 16, 2012
Awww! Poor white lady! Clearly your grandchildren deserve those jobs! After all, it was your great-grandparents who came to this land, killed the people who lived here, enslaved them and the people of Africa, and declared this land yours! You're so right! You're entitled to those jobs, simply because you were born here! You chose to live here, right? Cause I know I did. When I was sitting in heaven, I said "God, please give me an American family… please don't put me in Mexico, where I'll grow up in poverty, and any hopes I have of success will be destroyed by white, privileged nationalists!" Thank god! He granted me my wish! By the way… if you can't tell, this entire post I've written was my attempt at mocking you. You are a fool and I'm quite proud of what I've written here.
Aug 16, 2012
I like your statement about the American dream but you need to look up the facts about Mitt Romney. He destroyed more jobs by being a "Gordon Gecko" than you will ever know. He then hid money on offshore accounts to prevent paying taxes. This is not the American Dream my friend this is what is destroying American jobs and our economy people not willing to pay their fair share in taxes. When you own business you have social responsibilities as well to the communities that they are in. So when you make your pies you must think about how it effects those around you and your country. That is being a patriot. God Bless you and your Endeavors.
Aug 16, 2012
Jacob Potter If they don't earn their presence here, and are gifted with it, they will not have earned it. They should be tossed out. If they just barge into here illegally with their parents, they shouldn't be positively reinforced. They should have their wrongs righted. And another thing, how did they get into the military without proving citizenship?
Aug 16, 2012
How did you earn your presence in this country, Travis, other than by being the fastest sperm? As I said, you're a privileged brat. You were privileged to be born in this country, and now have a bloated ego to fit. Had you been born in a poorly developed country, I'm sure you'd be able to reciprocate their desires much more easily. As for them barging into the country illegally? Uh… you seem to be conveniently forgetting the part of Dream Act that says "came to the country as children" or in other words: THEY HAD NO CHOICE! As for illegals in the military, a quick google search could've answered that for you… Google's sources are reporting that most of them use fake papers/lie.
Aug 16, 2012
Jacob, in no part of this argument have I insulted you, so I would appreciate it if you also refrained from doing so to me, and I figured that the government would be more careful as to allowing who fights in the military considering that it is the only protection for the country. And i earn my presence in this country by abiding by it's laws and doing as the government says, much like the people who can apply for the dream act, except I do so legally. and whole I can understand the 15 year olds being drug into this country, I can't understand them staying in it. And clearly they had a choice once they reached adulthood, and joined the military as some have. Had I had been born in a third or second world country, I'm sure that I would have desired to come here also, but I would have done it the honorable way much as I currently live my life.
Aug 16, 2012
You, gentlemen have good points. That being said, Travis if we cannot negate all immigrants, these people are just looking for a better life, with the economy not as good as it was before U.S. still has the best economy in the world, and if its doing bad right now imagine how worser of do you think other economies are. Many people want to be american. You shouldn't disapprove of this law because you don't support Obama, Jacob the U.S can hold only so many people and if we allow every one in, we wont be able to give them all the better life they want, and not all immigrants are good hard working people ex: drug/sex traffickers, warlords, gangsters. So we do have to limit the number of people we take in.
We cant hate each other because of our ideals,
we have to work together to improve the economy and this country.
And if you ask me I am for the dream act, even if I'm republican, I'm not going to hate it because Obama supports it, but because of the facts.
Aug 16, 2012
No insult? The very fact that you'd assert you've done something that illegal immigrants haven't in regards to you belonging this country is an insult to humanity and how far we've come. Don't whine to me about insults, when you've said some of the most insulting things I've seen these week (trust me, I encounter a lot of fools). The military only allows U.S. citizens to fight, but as I said, illegals slip by, usually with false papers. Why? Because they want to fight for the country. Is that a problem for you? Do you not enjoy the idea of an illegal putting their life on the line to protect your freedoms? Uh… that is a poor reason for explaining what you've done to earn a place in this country that they haven't. Seriously… you're going to have to do better than that. You don't understand a 15 year old staying in the country they're brought to as children? Okay, imagine if you just found out you were brought to the United States illegally. Imagine if I walked up to you and said "Travis, you've got to go. You don't legally belong here. You're going to have to return to Mexico; you don't have a house there, you don't know what it looks like or where the cities are, you don't have any family there. You might not even speak the language. But you need to go!". Would you not be reluctant to go? Some illegals have grown up here their entire life. Some have even been here longer than you. They deserve just as much a right to succeed as any other. Also, I call BS. When you've got a starving family living in crumbling house, you can't wait 10 years in the immigration line to come to a prosperous country. Once again, you lack perspective and are completely dissolved in delusional, grandeur American ideas. You've got no idea how it is across the border, the amount of desperation people feel, on top of the difference you have.
Aug 16, 2012
Dayana: I am NO slacker. I finished high school with a high GPA. The best colleges only accept a handful of people and I truly believe that our citizens should not have to compete with illegal immigrants to attend theses schools. And Jacob: I'm all for equality, but like Swirvin pointed out, we should be helping our people before we start helping others. Yes, you should be able to succeed. I do agree with you. But our citizens should come first and foremost. We should not have to be competing with people who shouldn't even be living in the states!
Aug 16, 2012
Sure…once that candidate is discovered I'll vote for them
Aug 16, 2012
same for the man as your avatar (romney)
Aug 16, 2012
same for the man as your avatar (romney)
Aug 16, 2012
That makes 0 sense he wants to hence our LEGAL immigration process by expediting the process.
Aug 16, 2012
That makes 0 sense he wants to hence our LEGAL immigration process by expediting the process.
Aug 16, 2012
So, Travis, you earn your presence in this country by abiding by its laws and doing as the government says?So long story short you're basically a marionette am I right? Maybe those '15 year old kids bringing in drugs' wouldn't bring them that much if your people's demand on drugs would stop. Maybe as adults they don't want to join the military because they don't want to be involved in a system that is driven to hurt people. I wouldn't want to have so many deaths in my conscience. If you would've been born in a third or second world country I'm pretty sure your desire to be here would exist, that's true. However, what if you couldn't afford having to come here in an 'honorable' way as you call it? Don't talk about serious matters so lightly.
Aug 16, 2012
All the networks are showing the happy faces of all these smug little illegals. They report and show only the hispanic side of this issue. Nowhere can be seen or heard the American People's story. Obamanut's dream act will surely bring him down. We want ALL illegals out of the country. Obama is BREAKING the law and should be prosecuted. There is no room and no place for even ONE illegal in this country. The democrats are going to find this out in November. Thank you Governor Brewer for sticking up for Americans, not illegal aliens.
Aug 16, 2012
OMG! I have never read sooo much ignorance in my life!!! "it's all just given!" ……….
Aug 16, 2012
Instead of bringing the world up to the American standard of living BO is taking this country to third world status. OBAMA2012
Aug 16, 2012
how about some financial aid and benefits for the locals that have documentation?(i.e) the already unemployed voters that are losing there homes! we have been re-sold out once again by our government! f)_uggen awesome!
Aug 16, 2012
I'M Guilty of being white. I notice many white people complain about it. I don't see black/Africa american comment on it. I don't really care. its freedom country. u know many white people live in mexico.
Aug 16, 2012
At least this will help the economy a lot.
Aug 16, 2012
Susan dont be so niave he has paid more in taxes in the last year than you will pay in your life time.He has also given more to charity than Obama and His moronic Vice President will ever give and created more jobs
Aug 17, 2012
Operation 3rd world conversion is in full gear now.
Aug 17, 2012
Don't you mean the Nightmare.
Aug 17, 2012
Stuff like this just takes away from all work immigrants that went through the true LEGAL process to become a citizen. All this act is doing is rewarding people who broke the law. Why bother to follow any laws anymore? Obviously the government isn't going to enforce them.
Aug 17, 2012
You have some serious hate inside of you bruh, stop the hate and replace your white supremacy with justice!
Aug 17, 2012
Jacob Potter. LOL. The Spanish did the same thing and now we have Mexico.
Aug 17, 2012
Can't stand the truth eh?
Aug 18, 2012
@swirvin, I agree. He needs to help the citizens first. Then the others.
Aug 19, 2012
wow i think u need help or at least try to get to know what these young illegal students are going thru they didnt choose to be here they were brought here by their parents what do u want them to do go back to mexico where they might not even know how to write in spanish?
Aug 19, 2012
Honestly, yes. Sorry, but it's the truth. I'm all for fixing the border problems.
Aug 19, 2012
and try to start a career there? imagine if you were from germany and your parents brought you here when u were a baby could you be able to go back to germany were you dont even know what its like over there and you have no family you have nothing what would you do stay here right so stop being ignorant and selfish
Aug 19, 2012
shes just stating the truth
Aug 19, 2012
Dayana Molina Chico Sanchez I'm not racist, ignorant, selfish or stupid. I'm an American who is tired of giving her taxes to people who don't even live here legally. Now, honey, for stupid. Seriously, look at your spelling and try that again. And for your information, I'd gladly go back to my home country and do the best that I could.
Aug 19, 2012
You don't sound racist at all…not all immigrants are from the border country of Mexico, oh never mind, you were talking about Canadian border trash. What was I thinking?
Aug 21, 2012
Those who served in the military are different. They can get a green card legally. Bleeding hearts for the illegals are self serving dunces who should know better. We want to make sure intelligent hard working American youths are the recipients of American jobs, scholarships and lower tuition, not illegal bloodsuckers from across the river.
Aug 25, 2012
Hey Jacob I will vote for you any day! Run for office I will be your campaign manager! We are not a meritocracy anymore because we refuse to compete, feeling as if we won this country fair and square. We as United Statians wish to claim the entire continent as ours, as we claim our citizenship to be American and say the other Americans can't have this title. We have a genetic culpability in the downfall of the Native American and we run away from our past afraid someone has learned our secret.