Bring on the DREAM Act, Flawed Though it be

I hesitate to favor the DREAM Act, a piece of legislation that would turn some undocumented residents into legal residents. The DREAM Act creates a path toward citizenship for those who were under age 16 when they came to the U.S. Only those willing to further their education or serve in the military qualify for help.

Having education as the qualifier seems wrong on two counts. First, if one of the criticisms of the undocumented resident is that they often go through our education system without paying, why then should we make legal the very ones who "abuse" our system? Second, it concerns me that only the higher caste -- those able to obtain an education -- are being advanced towards citizenship, while the most poor and downtrodden are being left behind.

I think about some of the other objections being raised. One is that the DREAM Act is amnesty.

But, the thing which bothers me most is that we are rewarding those who have escaped the law. One requirement is that they have been in the U.S. five years in order to qualify. So, we make it a requirement that they have successfully avoided deportation for five years in order to qualify not to be deported? Does that make sense?

I much favor just granting the immigrant citizenship upon arrival at the border, rather than instituting a hypocritical system of reward them for successfully abusing our system.

Well, there is a lot I don't know about the undocumented worker. Basic stuff, I admit. Like, how many of them do not go to school? Maybe they all do and I am worried about leaving behind those who don't when there aren't hardly any at all who don't.

No, I don't like the idea of them using our education system without paying income taxes, but what is the  alternative? If they are here, and we deprive them of an education, is that wise? I say, give them an education regardless whether they pay their share. But, let it remain before our eyes that the way to erase this inequality is to make them legal right when they come across the border, thus making them taxpayers from the get-go.

As for amnesty, considering that we are merely excusing them for coming without paperwork, I don't think it a wrong -- but we shouldn't do it unless we also make it legal to come here in the first place. We have a system of pardons for those who commit real crimes, even serious crimes, so why not pardon those who simply didn't comply with the requirement that they have paperwork? I don't, though, like the idea of granting amnesty while at the same time restricting immigration so tightly that people continue to pour in illegally, thus creating a system where you come illegally and then, having been successful at that, are granted legality. Amnesty should be accompanied with laws making it legal for them to enter in the first place.

Well, I close this blog weighing in lightly in favor of the DREAM Act. I would like to see all those who are otherwise obeying the law made legal, and the DREAM Act would, indeed, help some. I do not like creating a hypocritical system, but perhaps a hypocritical system that brings justice to some is better than a system that brings justice to none. As for leaving the most disadvantaged behind, while that is not good, again, it is better to bring some along than to leave everyone behind.