Dream Act for All States
James Koo
Cerritos College
Political Science101
November 30, 2014

\

DREAM Act for All States
Although illegal immigrants have broken the immigrant law and consequently have caused many social problems in the United States, nevertheless, we have the responsibility to provide an opportunity for their children’s’ education. This is because these immigrants came to the United States involuntarily as dependent minors. The United Sates is a great melting pot that was founded upon immigrants’ sweat and blood, which made this country the most successful and strongest throughout the centuries. Despite the fact that many United Sates citizens have negative views on new immigrants, especially if they are illegal aliens, the US Congress tried to launch a new law called the DREAM Act, which stands for Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors. Currently, 16 states passed this law and it is my firm belief that all states need to pass this law because it will give a positive impact on our society, economics and military.
The Dream Act will provide better opportunities to illegal immigrant’s children who are looking for better education and jobs. Eventually it will raise the United States’ GDP and increase tax revenue. One study from UCLA North American Integration and Development Center estimates that, “the total earnings of DREAM Act beneficiaries over the course of their working lives would be between $1.4 trillion and $3.6 trillion” (McDonnell, 2001, para. 9). Illegal immigrants’ children will eventually have jobs when they grow up and if we do not provide prospects for better education and legal status, we might lose those potential taxable incomes. Potential taxable incomes would significantly help our local and national government’s budget since we are currently struggling through a shortage on government funds. It would not only help taxpayers but also boost our overall economics.
The most important resource for our government and society is the human resource. As we moved and continue to move towards a technological society, human resource became key to success in running government and national growth rates. Many talented illegal immigrants’ children struggle after graduating high school because they cannot receive any financial aid from the government. This struggle continues after education, as intelligent university graduates cannot get a professional job due to their illegal alien status and their fear of being deported. Adeola’s case well explains the difficulties of illegal immigrant’s lives as stated in her own tragedy, “after graduation with an engineering degree, she got a job with Wal-Mart Inc. in Arkansas as a programmer and lost the job when they discovered her status” (Opuiyo, 2006, para. 8). If students with high school and university education cannot use their intellectual efficiently because of their immigrant status, our country would lose the chance to gain and nurture talented individuals who could further develop this country.
The U.S. military struggle to recruit new troops especially during wartime. The DREAM Act works perfectly with the U.S. military needs because it offers illegal immigrants’ children permanent resident status if they serve two or more years. Despite the condition of serving, there was high competition between illegal aliens because it was a great offer that could potentially change their life style. According to Margaret Stock, a West Point professor who studies immigrants in the military, “DREAM Act would be