Here's an immigration bill that deserves bipartisan support
Published on Thursday, Aug 05, 2010
Akron Beacon Journalhttp://www.ohio.com/editorial/opinions/100008694.html
Indeed, it has. The disgrace of it is that otherwise reasonable lawmakers, such as South Carolina's Sen. Lindsey Graham, have jumped on the anti-immigration bandwagon, among other ploys targeting for repeal the 14th Amendment, which, since the 1860s, has guaranteed citizenship to those born or naturalized in the United States. And all this at a time when the U.S. economy needs to attract and develop the vital energies and capabilities that hard-driving, motivated immigrants bring.
None of this is to deny that the country has an immigration problem. Estimates are that more than 11 million people are living here illegally. The vast majority of them come searching for political and economic security and are prepared for the hard work to secure the future for their families.
The realistic objective, especially for a country that cherishes its roots as a nation of immigrants, is to create a process that would simplify and encourage legal residency and citizenship. If Congress lacks the appetite to do battle now on comprehensive legislation, it certainly can take up a more manageable aspect of the problem: a means to legalize the status of children who are illegal residents through no decisions of their own.
That is the purpose of the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minority Act, the most recent version of which was introduced in 2009. Better known as the DREAM Act, the bill proposes that children who were brought into the country before they were 16 years old earn conditional residency status if they have lived here at least five years, are of ''good moral character'' and have earned a high school degree or equivalent. After six years, they can apply for permanent residency if they have completed at least two years of post-secondary education or military service.
The bill offers these youths the incentives they need to develop into productive contributors, a pool of talent the country should not reject.
Indeed, it has. The disgrace of it is that otherwise reasonable lawmakers, such as South Carolina's Sen. Lindsey Graham, have jumped on the anti-immigration bandwagon, among other ploys targeting for repeal the 14th Amendment, which, since the 1860s, has guaranteed citizenship to those born or naturalized in the United States. And all this at a time when the U.S. economy needs to attract and develop the vital energies and capabilities that hard-driving, motivated immigrants bring.
None of this is to deny that the country has an immigration problem. Estimates are that more than 11 million people are living here illegally. The vast majority of them come searching for political and economic security and are prepared for the hard work to secure the future for their families.
The realistic objective, especially for a country that cherishes its roots as a nation of immigrants, is to create a process that would simplify and encourage legal residency and citizenship. If Congress lacks the appetite to do battle now on comprehensive legislation, it certainly can take up a more manageable aspect of the problem: a means to legalize the status of children who are illegal residents through no decisions of their own.
That is the purpose of the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minority Act, the most recent version of which was introduced in 2009. Better known as the DREAM Act, the bill proposes that children who were brought into the country before they were 16 years old earn conditional residency status if they have lived here at least five years, are of ''good moral character'' and have earned a high school degree or equivalent. After six years, they can apply for permanent residency if they have completed at least two years of post-secondary education or military service.
The bill offers these youths the incentives they need to develop into productive contributors, a pool of talent the country should not reject.
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