Guest Column
Dream Update and Alert
- DREAM Update Take Action!
- National Council of La Raza
- House Introduces the "American Dream Act"
- On Thursday, April 6, Reps. Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Howard Berman (D-CA), and Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) introduced the “American Dream Act,” H.R. 5131. This bill takes the place of the “Student Adjustment Act.”
- The other original cosponsors are:
- Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL)
- Luis Fortuño (R-PR)
- Melissa Hart (R-PA)
- Ray LaHood (R-IL)
- Jim Leach (R-IA)
- Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL)
- Luis Gutierrez (D-IL)
- Jane Harman (D-CA)
- Martin Sabo (D-MN)
- Ike Skelton (D-MO)
- A Summary of the “American Dream Act”
- To increase support in the House of Representatives, the language of the House bill was changed to read almost exactly like the Senate “DREAM Act,” S. 2075. The previous House bill, the “Student Adjustment Act,” was less restrictive in some ways. For example, the “Student Adjustment Act” did not include high school graduation or a GED as one of the requirements for immigration relief. Changing the bill to resemble the “DREAM Act” will facilitate advocacy though, and could help obtain support from otherwise unlikely congressional members.
- As in the “DREAM Act,” the “American Dream Act” would:
- • Repeal the federal provision discouraging states to offer in-state tuition to undocumented students, thereby restoring states’ rights
- • Place certain U.S.-raised immigrant students on a path to citizenship
- As is also the case in the “DREAM Act,” students would be considered for legal permanent resident status on a conditional basis if they:
- • Entered the U.S. prior to age 16
- • Have lived in the U.S. for five years by the date the law is enacted
- • Have good moral character (a common term in immigration law), and no criminal record
- • Attained a high school diploma or a GED in the U.S.
- The conditional status would be lifted at the end of six years if the individual has: 1) graduated from an institution of higher education or has completed two years of college in good standing, or 2) has served in the U.S. military for two or more years.
- Finally, as in the “DREAM Act,” students who are 12 years or older on the date the law is enacted would be protected from deportation and would be granted work authorization so long as the individual is attending a U.S. K-12 school.
- Take Action Now:
- To demonstrate your support for the “American Dream Act,” please do the following:
- 1. Call the following members and thank them for introducing and supporting the “American Dream Act”:
- Rep. Howard Berman (D-CA) (202) 225-4695
- Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL) (202) 225-4211
- Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) (202) 225-2778
- Rep. Michael Castle (R-DE) (202) 225 4165
- Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) (202) 225-4865
- Rep. Luis Fortuño (R-PR) (202) 225-2615
- Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) (202) 225-8203
- Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA) (202) 225-8220
- Rep. Melissa Hart (R-PA) (202) 225-2565
- Rep. Ray LaHood (R-IL) (202) 225-6201
- Rep. Jim Leach (R-IA) (202) 225-6576
- Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) (202) 225-3931
- Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) (202) 225-1766
- Rep. Martin Sabo (D-MN) (202) 225-4755
- Rep. Ike Skelton (D-MO) (202) 225-2876
- 2. Call your Representative and ask them to cosponsor the “American Dream Act.” The U.S. Capitol switchboard number is (202) 224-3121.
- 3. It is especially important that we get our previous Republican supporters back on the bill. If your members are any of the following, please call them as soon as possible and urge them to cosponsor the “American Dream Act”:
- Rep. Henry Bonilla (R-TX) (202) 225-4511
- Rep. Chris Cannon (R-UT) (202) 225 7751
- Rep. David Dreier (R-CA) (202) 225-2305
- Rep. James Gibbons (R-NV) (202) 225 6155
- Rep. Peter King (R-NY) (202) 225-7896
- Rep. Tom Latham (R-IA) (202) 225-5476
- Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) (202) 225-2523
- Rep. Tom Osborne (R-NE) (202) 225-6435
- Rep. Rick Renzi (R-AZ) (202) 225-2315
- Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) (202) 225-3031
- Rep. Christopher Shays (R-CT) (202) 225-5541
- Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL) (202) 225-5271
- Rep. Robert Simmons (R-CT) (202) 225-2076
- Rep. Christopher Smith (R-NJ) (202) 225-3765
- Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-KS) (202) 225-6216
- Rep. James Walsh (R-NY) (202) 225-3701
- Rep. Jerry Weller (R-IL) (202) 225-3635
- Rep. Heather Wilson (R-NM) (202) 225-6316
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