Immigration reform suffered another setback last month when the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors, or DREAM, Act failed for the second time in three months, disappointing young immigrants seeking citizenship and a college education, but the struggle over the act — originally introduced nearly ten years ago — shows few signs of stopping.
Under the DREAM Act, immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as minors, lived in the country for five years and graduated from a U.S. high school, would have the opportunity to gain citizenship by enrolling in college or the military for at least two years. The act has reappeared several times since 2001 in different forms, and the most recent defeat is hardly expected to mean its end.
Opponents of the DREAM Act fear the bill would create a virtual amnesty program and encourage illegal immigration. And with the influx of Republican candidates from the 2010 midterm election, the act will likely not surface again until after 2012. Nevertheless, advocates continue to push for the legislation, not simply for its citizenship provisions but because of the rising difficulty for undocumented immigrants to attend college.
“It’s getting harder and harder for these students to move into higher education,” said Monica Hanson, a migrant education consultant for the Silver Falls School District, in Silverton, Ore. “College is expensive, and there is a growing feeling that it is out-of-reach.”
An estimated 65,000 immigrants graduate from high school each year according to the National Immigration Law Center. Yet almost all of them face hurdles on their way to college, regardless of their academic standing. Undocumented immigrants do not have access to federal aid, and the high cost of tuition means that few can afford to enroll. In addition, several public universities require a Social Security number and other information in the application process.
Organizations that attempt to bridge the gap between immigrants and college education do exist. Many offer scholarships or help prepare students to be successful.
The Salem Family Literacy Program works with both immigrant parents and children to make them competitive applicants for college.
“All of the families in our program are there to improve their education,” Kelley Morehouse, an instructor for the program, said. “We try to transition many into community college, but it is very frustrating when paperwork or costs mean they can’t make their lives better.”
One of the biggest challenges facing college-bound immigrants is that in most states they are ineligible for in-state tuition. The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act in 1996 disqualified immigrants from this reduced tuition rate, forcing immigrants to pay out-of-state costs even in a state in which they reside. The DREAM Act has always sought to undo this law, and it is a key point for advocates.
“This is their home state,” Hanson said. “This is where they’ve been schooled. I think it is ridiculous that they are being denied in-state tuition costs just because they lack documentation.”
Despite federal law, 10 states currently allow immigrants to receive in-state tuition, and last November the Supreme Court in California upheld their right to do so. Oregon legislators attempted a similar proposal in 2009, but it never reached a vote.
The College Board, an association of more than 5,700 schools, backs these laws and furthermore endorses the DREAM Act as a whole. The Board says the act helps immigrants and the schools themselves by improving diversity and tuition revenue.
Paul Shang, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, agreed with this sentiment.
“Any program, including those proposed in the DREAM Act, that contributes to the diversity of the student body I think benefits all students and ultimately benefits the whole educational experience at a university,” Shang said.
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