Pros and Cons of the DREAM Act

     There are many debates surrounding the Dream Act  issue and here are the two of the more popularly held views: 

CONS:

1.     High enough unemployment rate will raise even more: The Dream Act will be funded on the backs of hard working, law-abiding Americans -- CBO failed to assess costs for education, increased levels of unemployment due to the addition of workers to the workforce, and increases in potential applicants because of loopholes.

2.     It will overwhelm our street with criminals: The Dream Act provides safe harbor for any alien, including criminals, from being removed or deported if they simply submit an application - burden of proving inaccurate information on a Dream Act application is on the Department of Homeland Security. Certain inadmissible aliens, including those from high-risk regions, will be eligible for amnesty under the Dream Act.

3.     Conservative estimates suggest that at least 1.3 million illegal aliens will be eligible for the Dream Act amnesty. In reality, we have no idea how many illegal aliens will apply.

4.     It won't make us more educated: The Dream Act does not require that an illegal alien finish any type of degree (vocational, two-year, or bachelor’s degree) as a condition of amnesty - the applicant only has to complete the equivalent of two years of college.

5.     It will harm our economy: Current illegal aliens will get federal student loans, federal work study programs, and other forms of Federal Financial Aid. Who will pay for all those benefits?

PROS:

1.     It Will Help Our Economy: According to a recent UCLA study, students that would be impacted by the Dream Act could add between $1.4 to $3.6 trillion in taxable income to our economy over the course of careers, depending on how many ultimately gain legal status. According to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, the Dream Act in its current form will cut the deficit by $1.4 billion and increase government revenues by $2.3 billion over the next 10 years.

2.     The Dream Act supports our troops: Secretary of Defense Gates has written to Dream Act sponsors citing the rich precedent of non-citizens serving in the U.S. military and stating that “the Dream Act represents an opportunity to expand [the recruiting] pool, to the advantage of military recruiting and readiness".

3.     The Dream Act is a great return on money we have already invested and will prepare the country for the global economy: Today’s global economy requires an educated and skilled workforce capable of acquiring, creating, and distributing knowledge.  Passage of the Dream Act will mean a group of talented, multilingual and multicultural workers will help America compete with innovators throughout the world.   

4.     Passage of the Dream Act will reduce high school dropout rates and enable more students to attend college:  Foreign-born students represent a significant and growing percentage of the current student population.  Unfortunately, immigration status and the associated barriers to higher education contribute to a higher-than-average high dropout rate, which costs taxpayers and the economy billions of dollars each year.  The Dream Act would eliminate these barriers for many students, and the Dream Act’s high school graduation requirement would provide a powerful incentive for students who might otherwise drop out to stay in school and graduate.

Please find sources used on our Bibliography page.