2008 Woodie Awards
Is the DREAM Act good for America?
Point/Counterpoint
Issue date: 10/10/07 Section: Opinion
John Roberts:
Right now, there are two things that the U.S. needs. The first thing is more troops in the Armed Forces. To even entertain the notion of fighting a war with Iran, this country needs bodies. The DREAM Act will provide those bodies.
What is the DREAM Act?
The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act offers immigrants a chance to do what any 18-year-old U.S. citizen can do-join the military, obtain a degree from a two-year college (like Fullerton College), or complete two years of schooling at a four-year university.
That is the other need the DREAM Act will fulfill-the country will gain a new group of motivated and educated U.S. citizens. Citizens that will get well-paying jobs and purchase goods from American retailers and who will also pay their taxes.
So why has the government not passed this legislation yet? Because some members of Congress view this act as a "simple" amnesty bill; this just simply is not true.
As any student on campus can attest to, it isn't that easy to earn the credits needed to earn an Associates degree or the number required to advance to a university. Nor is it "simple" to spend two years in the military. Either choice requires hard work and a level of devotion that some U.S. citizens do not have.
The bill also requires the eligible immigrants to have already lived in the U.S. for five years. This offers educational and career possibilities to students that have already spent quite a bit of time in our educational system, not those who have recently entered the country.
The U.S. needs intelligent, hard-working people to keep this country great. If someone wants to contribute their time and energy to this national goal, the least we
can do is look past their country of origin.
Trevor Owens:
The DREAM Act is definitely a step in the right direction, but it should be radically altered before it is signed into law. Under the act, once illegal immigrants have fulfilled a group of requirements, they are eligible to apply for citizenship. This is a good thing.
Right now, there are two things that the U.S. needs. The first thing is more troops in the Armed Forces. To even entertain the notion of fighting a war with Iran, this country needs bodies. The DREAM Act will provide those bodies.
What is the DREAM Act?
The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act offers immigrants a chance to do what any 18-year-old U.S. citizen can do-join the military, obtain a degree from a two-year college (like Fullerton College), or complete two years of schooling at a four-year university.
That is the other need the DREAM Act will fulfill-the country will gain a new group of motivated and educated U.S. citizens. Citizens that will get well-paying jobs and purchase goods from American retailers and who will also pay their taxes.
So why has the government not passed this legislation yet? Because some members of Congress view this act as a "simple" amnesty bill; this just simply is not true.
As any student on campus can attest to, it isn't that easy to earn the credits needed to earn an Associates degree or the number required to advance to a university. Nor is it "simple" to spend two years in the military. Either choice requires hard work and a level of devotion that some U.S. citizens do not have.
The bill also requires the eligible immigrants to have already lived in the U.S. for five years. This offers educational and career possibilities to students that have already spent quite a bit of time in our educational system, not those who have recently entered the country.
The U.S. needs intelligent, hard-working people to keep this country great. If someone wants to contribute their time and energy to this national goal, the least we
can do is look past their country of origin.
Trevor Owens:
The DREAM Act is definitely a step in the right direction, but it should be radically altered before it is signed into law. Under the act, once illegal immigrants have fulfilled a group of requirements, they are eligible to apply for citizenship. This is a good thing.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 19
Bettybb
posted 10/10/07 @ 12:00 PM PST
Obama is a fool.
The Dream Act is back door amnesty, and the dumbest law ever created by man.
1. It takes money away from low income American college kids and gives it to criminal illegals. (Continued…)
Pedro
posted 10/10/07 @ 12:10 PM PST
Those are some ridiculous comments you just made bettybb, coming from an immigrat herself...how can you know so little about the DREAM Act???They do not get citizenship after 2 years of community college. (Continued…)
Alex Diaz
posted 10/10/07 @ 12:11 PM PST
The Dream is the right thing to do to start solving our immigration problem.
Senator Durbin took the in-state tuition part out of the Dream Act and he also put an age limit of 30. (Continued…)
July
posted 10/10/07 @ 12:31 PM PST
You are right Pedro, I agree with you.
This bill is a start, specially for those kids.
Alexandra
posted 10/10/07 @ 2:42 PM PST
Thank you Gov. Schwarzenegger for hearing the roar of hundreds of thousands Americans shouting HELL NO!
With the DREAM Act... our NATION and Americans are once again being betrayed by corrupt and deceitful Senators, such as Feinstein, McCain, Kennedy, Clinton, Obama etc. (Continued…)
mike
posted 10/10/07 @ 3:09 PM PST
of course it is good for America. Why punish those kida without their fault? They have lived here for all their lives and they will contribute to our society once they get their legal status. (Continued…)
Juan
posted 10/10/07 @ 3:44 PM PST
Don't worry guys. Most people opposed to the DREAM Act are hateful people who do not know a good law when they seee it. These people will label anything that has to do with immigration as "amnesty. (Continued…)
Rosemarie
posted 10/10/07 @ 4:09 PM PST
We have been victims of a broken system, and we're not kids anymore, we're old enough to realize this, and you better believe we're gonna do something about it. (Continued…)
milkmonstaa
posted 10/10/07 @ 4:39 PM PST
DREAM ACT DOES NOT TAKE AWAY MONEY FROM low income american citizens. If these kids were allowed to be part of public schools from K-12 under the Whatever their circumstances(undocumented immigrant children were entitled to attend public school (Plyler v. (Continued…)
Davis
posted 10/10/07 @ 7:35 PM PST
I implore, nay demand, that all those who are opposed to the DREAM Act read the bill before mindlessly screaming, "amnesty." That word has become so overused that is has lost any substance. (Continued…)
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