Dream Act Opinion Paper CSL Caroline Sheng Advocates Most of the individuals affected by the DREAM Act

would be those who have been brought to the U.S by their parents. As they were brought here as children, they have little or knowledge of their native country and also had no say in coming to America. For them, America is the only home they have ever known; deporting such individuals is almost a cruelty. These young immigrants have the potential to be a great asset in the future if America given the correct tools, the most important of which is education. Education is an equalizer, and so, given the opportunity, these immigrants could eventually contribute a great deal to American society, as much as any citizen. Denying access to education to anyone who is willing to be educated is morally wrong. The DREAM Act not only affects education, but could also potentially increase the number the military recruits if those that want to are made into at least temporary citizens. Those who benefit from the DREAM Act are not those who actively participated in breaking the law, so it is not fair to punish them by making them pay for the acts of their parents. Opponents Offering amnesty to illegal immigrants will not solve the problem, it will only encourage more illegal immigrants to come to the U.S, knowing that under this act, their children can lead them to eventually become legal residents. The DREAM Act is simply an enticement for people to break the law and become criminals. Also, anyone who claims they meet the criteria for amnesty under the DREAM Act must be granted legal status unless the government is able to prove them wrong. But the government doesnt have the time or the money to go through and verify every single application. This would mean thousands of immigrants with the ability to slow or halt the process of deportation, going off of the fact that the government doesnt have the resources to check their qualification. Furthermore, the DREAM Act would allow the beneficiaries, to eventually sponsor parents and other relatives to come here, including their parents that originally broke the law in the first place. The Migration Policy Institute states that approximately 2.1 million people would be eligible for the DREAM Act, but that does not take into account the chain caused by sponsoring another relative, and then another. The DREAM Act also greatly increases the competition for colleges and school aid, because then illegal immigrants would be competing for the same spots against the legal residents. This is also a big con considering the U.Ss current economic situation and the budget cuts in education and social service programs.