Monday night at the Denver city council meeting, the Denver council gave their verbal support to the federal "Dream Act". But not all were on board. Council member Charlie Brown stated that he believed the proper place for the issue to be debated was at the federal level. Council member Jeanne Faatz voted against the proclamation, stating she believed passage of the "DREAM Act" would remove a disincentive to illegal immigration. So, what exactly is the "DREAM Act"?
The DREAM Act: Over three million students graduate from U.S. high schools every year. Most get the opportunity to test their dreams and live their American story. However, a group of approximately 65,000 youth do not get this opportunity; they are smeared with an inherited title, an illegal immigrant. These youth have lived in the United States for most of their lives and want nothing more than to be recognized for what they are, Americans.
The DREAM Act is a bipartisan legislation ‒ pioneered by Sen. Orin Hatch [R-UT] and Sen. Richard Durbin [D-IL] ‒ that can solve this hemorrhaging injustice in our society. Under the rigorous provisions of the DREAM Act, qualifying undocumented youth would be eligible for a 6 year long conditional path to citizenship that requires completion of a college degree or two years of military service.
