So you may have heard peeps talking about the Dream Act, but you're not quite sure what it's all about. Well, we've gotcha covered. Here is a cheat sheet on everything you need to know about the controversial act.
What it is
- The Dream Act (Development, Relief and Education of Alien Minors Act) is a bill introduced to Congress in 2001 and reintroduced in 2009.
- The bill was introduced to help young people who were brought to the U.S. as children by undocumented parents. This act allows high school graduates to have citizenship and continue their education into college.
- Many people are against the bill because they want priority education to be on U.S. citizens and those who are here legally.
How it started
- The UWD (United We Dream) network was created as a result of national advocacy groups led by the NILC (National Immigration Law Center). These groups promote equal access to education opportunities for immigrant young people.
- The U.S. House of Representatives passed the law in 2010, but it failed to pass in the U.S. Senate in 2010.
- The State General Assembly passed the act on the last day of the 2011 legislative session.
What’s happening now
- The coalition wants to keep the Maryland Dream Act. If the law is upheld in a statewide referendum in November, Maryland would be the 13th state to allow this act.
- President Obama is in full support of the bill stating, “There is still time for Congress to pass the DREAM Act this year, because these kids deserve to plan their lives in more than two-year increments.”
- Obama’s June executive order allows illegal people under 16 years old to apply for temporary relief from deportation and apply for a work permit. However, because this order isn’t lasting, Obama wants the DREAM Act to be passed.
- GOP opponents got enough signatures to put the issue on the November ballot, so Maryland voters will make this decision.
Start an awareness campaign for this cause. GO [1]
Sources:
United we Dream [2]
NY Mag [3]
Baltimore Sun [4]
A Z Central [5]