Helping Young People Achieve The American Dream

Statement

On December 8th, 2010, the House of Representatives passed legislation aimed at fixing our broken immigration system. I proudly voted for the DREAM Act, which gives the children of immigrants a path to citizenship and chance to give back by going to college or serving in the Armed Forces.

The DREAM Act gives the innocent victims of our broken immigration system a fair shot at the American dream. Consider a woman whose parents brought her to Minnesota illegally when she was two years old. She did well in school and now, as a young adult, she wants to go to college, find a job, or enlist in the military. How can she apply for a job without documentation? What will she do if she is deported back to a country that has never been her home? The DREAM Act will help nearly 800,000 young people in situations just like this. This legislation allows the best and brightest of these young people to earn U.S. citizenship, but only after they complete a rigorous process. This opportunity applies only to young people who have lived here for at least five years prior to enactment of the law and who were brought to the U.S. as minors by their parents.

Moving Forward

Immigration rules need to be straightforward, fair, and predictable -- exactly the opposite of our current system. Our immigration laws ignore the many contributions that immigrant families make to our communities. Worse yet, the laws are inconsistently applied and often tear families apart. Congress has an obligation to enact comprehensive immigration reform that keeps families together and embodies the spirit of generosity and inclusion.

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