H.R. 1751 would amend the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to permit States to determine State residency for higher education purposes and to authorize the cancellation of removal and adjustment of status of certain alien students who are long-term United States residents and who entered the United States as children.
Detailed Summary
American Dream Act - Amends the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to repeal the denial of an unlawful alien's eligibility for higher education benefits based on state residence unless a U.S. national is similarly eligible without regard to such state residence.
Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security to cancel the removal of, and adjust to conditional permanent resident status, an alien who: (1) entered the United States before his or her sixteenth birthday, and has been present in the United States for at least five years immediately preceding enactment of this Act; (2) is a person of good moral character; (3) is not inadmissible or deportable under specified grounds of the Immigration and Nationality Act; and (4) at the time of application, has been admitted to an institution of higher education, or has earned a high school or equivalent diploma.
Sets forth the conditions for conditional permanent resident status.
Authorizes an alien who has satisfied the appropriate requirements prior to enactment of this Act to petition the Secretary for conditional permanent resident status.
Sets forth requirements respecting: (1) exclusive jurisdiction; (2) confidentiality; (3) fee prohibitions; (4) higher education assistance; and (5) a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report respecting the number of aliens adjusted under this Act.
Status of the Legislation
Latest Major Action: 5/14/2009: Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness.
Points in Favor
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Points Against
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Visitor Comments
Arizona Teacher
April 21, 2009, 6:05pm (report abuse)The Dream Act would be a boon for Arizona. We have students in our schools who have lived here most of their lives, received good grades, and contributed to the community are assets. We need their intelligence and energy. Currently they are unable to find work, drive, or receive affordable education after high school. The Dream Act will provide the opportunity for these students to truly contribute to America. These students will be our teachers, our nurses, our engineers and our neighbors. These students are motivated to prove their worth. They are worth the investment. I encourage you to allow them their dreams.
Douglas
(logged in user) April 21, 2009, 8:54pm (report abuse)Sounds like just the kind of people Mexico needs.
Sonia
May 22, 2009, 8:27am (report abuse)They say that "america" is "the free country". Well just how free is it that these people come here to find a better life and then get shut down by the government its self? Imagine the US with out all these immigrant workers? If they all went back to there countries the US would for sure be in trouble, economically saying so. Im not only saying this as a Mexican, but as a US born Citizen as well!
Mimi
July 21, 2009, 9:44pm (report abuse)This is going to change my life. I could go on and list a number of reasons as to why. So to make the long Story short, this is going to give me a chance at independence and the chance to become something in this life. This is all i ask for .. nothing more .. nothing less. Give me the chance to work my ass off and go somewhere. Im not asking for a handout Im asking for a start.
MisterCharles
(logged in user) October 23, 2009, 9:37pm (report abuse)I can understand, and even sympathize, with why immigrants come to the United States of America for a better life. But, immigrants who come to this country illegally, and bring children, are damning their children to a life of hardship and division.
The fact that there is a Dream Act proposed is testimony that the children, who are also deemed here illegally, are condemned to a denial of rights they were misled to believe they earned.
The Dream Act is Amnesty for the illegal residing children of illegal immigrants. These students should hold their parents accountable for the position they are in, and no one else.