Over the past few years the controversy of approving the Dream Act has been a topic that seems to not have an end. About ten years ago, young Ivan Nikolov immigrated from Russia with his mother, and missed a court date a year after they arrived. Nikolov's mother was married to a U.S citizen, yet she was deported back to Russia. Charged for an immigration violation Nikolov sat in prison for three months, however he did not commit a single crime or had a choice to stay in the U.S without legal statues. Nikolov grew up in Michigan, went to an American school and graduated from an school there, he spoke very little Russian, and was engaged to a U.S citizen. Nikolov considered himself an American, yet he was getting deported to a country that would force him to join the military or be put in prison(“Background Briefing” 1). All though it is understood that coming to this country illegally is against the law, more than half of these immigrants have no choice but stay with their parents. Most of these immigrants work hard to be top students in their classes and the majority of them fulfill their dreams of graduating with high grades. The ‘’Dreamers’’ have been fighting for over a decade now to have the approval of the Dream Act, so that education and acceptance in the military for alien minors would be improved.
The Development , Relief, and Education for Alien Minors, “DREAM” (‘’Dream Act’’3), gives the opportunity to illegal immigrants that were brought to the U.S as children to fulfill the American dream and give them a six year path to citizenship (‘’House Approves’’1). The Dream Act is a decade old bill, first introduced in 2001 having 216-198 votes from the House of Representatives and sent to the Senate, but it has not seemed ...
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... in America is a great honor and they only want to improve it. From the bottom of their heart serving the great country of the United States of America is not just a privilege, but a duty to serve the country that has seen them grow and help them become what they are now: nothing less than thankful Americans.
Works Cited
“Background Briefing: The Dream Act.” America’s Voice. 2013. Web. 19 Fed. 2014. amiricasboice.org>. “Dream Act.” American Immigration Council. ND. Web. 18 Fed. 2014.
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“House Approve Dream Act, but Senate Approval uncertain.” Cable News Network. 2013.
17 Fed. 2014. .
“Opposition to the Dream Act.” About.com. 2014. Web. 24 Feb. 2014.
“Recent Dreamers protest for Push in passing Dream Act.” Arizona Daily Wildcat. 2014.
Web. 18 Fed. 2014. .
Illegal immigration has been an issue in this country since its founding. However, in recent years, more and more people are deciding that the conditions in their native countries are too dangerous and impossible to overcome, so they decide to take on the journey to try and enter the United States, “the land of opportunity”, without the proper documentation. In the novel Enrique’s Journey, by Sonia Nazario, we see first hand the expedition many of these people take in order to fulfill their dreams of helping the families they leave behind. Many of these people, like Lourdes and Enrique, come thinking that the “American Dream” will be easily obtained through hard work. Unfortunately, times have changed, and this promise of riches is no longer the norm. Those undocumented immigrants that are lucky enough to make it to the United States are faced with a harsh hit of reality when they realize that the perception they had build of America, with an abundance of jobs, is actually flooded by poverty and an unsteady job market.
Imagine a world with an educated youth. Now imagine a parallel world where children are fighting to keep a smile on their faces, because, in truth, it is the only thing they have. In reality, this is what is happening. Youth, who have the privilege to be American citizens, are granted a very fulfilling education with a promise of a career. Children of illegal and undocumented immigrants do not have such luck. Some undocumented children in America have very promising futures and even a degree under their belts, but they cannot apply for a job because they have no proof of citizenship. A controversial topic is the matter of the DREAM Act (Development, Relief, and Education, for Alien Minors) which permits undocumented immigrants to obtain citizenship and later get a job. Is this topic really a law… or a lifestyle? Should we really be arguing on the matter of life or death?
In 2012, President Obama introduced the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program for young people who had been residing in the United States at least five years prior to the bill’s passing. DACA was the most significant provision from the Obama administration that aimed to help undocumented youth be integrated in the American society. It protected them from deportation and allowed them to obtain a state identification, work permit, and Social Security number. The immigrant communities celebrated this bill as it had been a long time since there was a significant change in the country’s immigration policy. However, the current administration and government pose a serious threat to the beneficiaries of the DACA program as well as
According to a survey held by the Center for American Progress, the median age of entry for dreamers is currently around six years of age with nearly 10 percent of dreamers arriving at the age of three. To label those who have lived in the United States for decades as “un-American” and to even hint at their eventual deportation would be unjust and morally wrong. The likely effects of deporting a dreamer to their country of origin would be marginally less harsh than the deportation of a natural-born US citizen. In nearly all cases, dreamers have not come to the United States by their choice. It doesn’t take a sharp legal mind to realize that a six-year-old child lacks the mental capacity and the monetary resources to immigrate to America on their own.
Not only was this issue was highlighted several times in our class discussions, it was also a main theme in the presentation by Leticia Saucedo. The movie affirmed my belief that there should be policy reforms in employment law that extends protection to vulnerable migrants in the workplace. Likewise, I found another issue with how the system creates vulnerability and uncertainty for innocent children who migrated with their parents. For example, one girl had great academic achievements in high school, but she could not apply to college because she did not have a social security number. Similarly, another person migrated with his parents from Mexico, proceeded to enroll in school, and even received a driver license without any issues. I think this represents an important problem with current policies, in which the children of undocumented migrants often do not know their legal status until it is too late. Therefore, I believe the government should take steps in the early process of education and grant some form of status to children who migrated unknowingly with their
Some policies and laws will support immigrants’ dreams. Other laws limit the available support based on resident status. The Welfare Reform Act of 1996 states “non-citizen immigrants are no longer eligible for federally funded Medicaid (health coverage for low-income Americans) and other income-maintenance programs such as Supplemental Security Income” (Lee, 2009). Also in 1996, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA), made most legal immigrants ineligible for publicly funded services such as Medicaid for the first five ye...
Currently, there are 11.7 million undocumented immigrants in the United States; 6 million of those immigrants are Mexican-born (Preston). Within that undocumented population are individuals who were brought to the States as children. These individuals have grown up in the American culture and consider themselves American, but struggle with being treated as second class citizens due to their undocumented status. On June fifteenth of 2012, the Obama Administration announced the executive order Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). This order will allow immigrants who were brought illegally to the U.S. as children to apply for work permits and avoid deportation (Hennessey and Bennett). President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals is not only beneficial to it applicants but also to the United States as a whole.
Eleanor Roosevelt said, “the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” That statement holds strong for immigrants in America. Equal access to opportunities allows immigrants to achieve the American dream. Their success correlates with America’s success because of the contributions immigrants provide to America. Unfortunately, the current immigration policy in America denies many immigrants the American dream. It is crucial to understand the historical context of immigration in America. Initially, most immigrants were from Europe and were not restricted by any immigration laws. Now, most immigrants come from Latin America but are restricted to severe immigration laws. The Latino/a community is one of the most severely affected groups because the current immigration system disproportionally affects Latino/as. Recognizing how the experience of Latino/a immigrants have been both similar and different in the past from other immigrant groups and dispelling common misconceptions about Latino/as today bring an awareness how Latino/as are affected.
Taking U.S citizens rights away or is it just an opportunity to illegal aliens? This is one of the many arguments people have been stating about the dream act. This program was passed to help illegal immigrants grow in education. It was not to acquire U.S citizen’s rights, in fact it was passed because many immigrants want to give back to the country that has offered them many things. This program also known as DACA was proposed by the president Barack Obama and has been applied to many illegal immigrants since 2010. It is an aid for immigrant students that want to go top college and stay in school. Being part of the Dream Act is not giving illegal aliens U.S citizen’s rights, it is allowing young immigrants to have the opportunity to get an education and succeed in life.
Everyday over 11 million people battle with the fact that they can’t be legal in America. Hiding in the shadows, petrified of what might happen to them if they are caught trying to help their kids and families be successful in a safe home. Millions of undocumented immigrants are denied a “path to citizenship” due to immigration laws. These laws need to be altered and should allow these hurting families a chance to be legal. If these immigrants get deported, the United States is losing vital resources, they will fear losing their families, and since they are trying to get right by law, why not give them a chance? Furthermore undocumented immigrants are worthy to fight for, and this is why.
Kobach, Kris W. "The Senate Immigration Bill Rewards Lawbreaking: Why the DREAM Act Is a Nightmare." The Heritage Foundation - Conservative Policy Research and Analysis. Web. 10 Mar. 2010. .
About half a million children are born to undocumented immigrants every year. These children are not given the opportunities that they so rightly deserve. They spend their entire lives in the United States and are considered illegal immigrants. They are given no choice, but to live their life as an undocumented immigrant. That is what the DREAM Act is trying to solve. The DREAM Act, or Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors is a proposal that would provide permanent residency to undocumented immigrants who meet certain eligibility requirements (The DREAM Act). If the DREAM Act is approved, then the education will be improved. It will improve the economy, the military will receive a significant increase in recruitments, and the lives of undocumented immigrants will thrive.
After about twelve years of the DREAM Act floating around in congress, many people on both sides of the issue are unsure of what will happen. For some, the fact that it has been around for long without much progress means that the DREAM Act will not pass. On the other side of this issue, the dreamers, continue fighting to keep the DREAM Act alive, so that all the immigrant students can continue to post secondary education, and not have to stop their education at the end of 12th grade. These young immigrants were brought here when they were younger and have lived in the United States most of their life. They are known as dreamers because many of them cannot continue their education due to the barriers placed on them because of their undocumented status. Those who wish to continue to a post secondary education have to pay higher out-of-state tuition rates. The passing of the DREAM Act will provide a path to legalization for educated and dedicated individuals who will continue to contribute a lot to the U.S. economy and in many other ways. The majority of undocumented students were brought to the U.S. when they were small children, and they “should be allowed to have the chance to stay in the country call home” (Bennion).
Most people claim to understand the importance of goal setting in order to attain a better life, in fact, most people are afraid to fail, or even worse, afraid that they might actually succeed. Social degradation and dehumanization of immigrants within society complicate what it means to be free when confronting social injustice. While some believe that the American Dream will help them strive towards a successful life, others will have to face the harsh reality and need to accept their corrupted and unreached dreams. Many authors in Units 1 and 2 have shown the other side of “American Dream” -- it’s no longer about pursuing the opportunity, but learning how to earn the right to see it and seize it with determination, and if one does not
Today’s parents have a different definition of the American dream. Their dreams are to provide the best for their children and to give them a better life than they had. America is a dream destination where immigrants go and live a better lifestyle; their American Dream is the promise of a better life, and that goes for anyone who envisions an American dream. The ultimate American dream for immigrants is simply to live in America, but for American born citizens this dream does not apply to