Undocumented student immigrants who want to attend college and gain a path to U.S. citizenship suffered a setback last week. The Development, Relief and Education for Minor Aliens Act — which would help achieve those objectives — failed to pass Congress as an amendment to a Federal Spending bill.
Last fall, we voiced our support for the DREAM Act. As students, we value our higher education and want others to have the same opportunities. It is unfair to punish students who’ve lived in the country their whole childhoods simply because of their parents’ actions. We’re not the only entity at Penn with this view. Other individuals and organizations on campus, including Penn President Amy Gutmann herself, agree.
Given the DREAM Act’s importance, it’s disappointing to see it suffer a blow and get lumped in with another bill. We hope the act is given another look in Congress and has the opportunity to be considered in its own right.
Illegal immigration is among the most controversial political issues right now. With fewer than two months until the midterm elections, the topic is all the more volatile. Still, the DREAM Act should be something that all can support. Students’ dreams should be kept alive.
