WASHINGTON – The Senate Judiciary Committee this week for the first time debated the DREAM Act that would give undocumented immigrants a path to legal status through college or the military. Later this week, Maryland is poised to be the 11th state in the country with its own version of a DREAM act, providing in-state college tuition to illegal immigrants.
Nearly 10 years after the federal bill was proposed, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Defense Undersecretary Clifford Stanley testified Tuesday before the Judiciary’s immigration subcommittee to endorse the bill, which would give undocumented immigrants a way to legal status by pursuing higher education or joining the military. They also would be required to have a clean criminal record and meet other eligibility requirements.
“Passing the DREAM Act will give promising young people an opportunity to achieve the American dream. And, in the process, we will sustain our economic competitiveness into the future,” Duncan said.
The committee hearing room was packed with students and supporters of the bill, including Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas who recently confessed that he is an illegal immigrant.
Miguel Sanchez, a high school senior from Milwaukee, said he is a citizen but came to Washington to support the many undocumented students who “don’t see their future as bright as it could be.”
“I have the opportunity and a lot of them don’t,” Sanchez said. “That motivates me to help our voice be heard.”
Republicans Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Chuck Grassley of Iowa opposed the bill, calling it a “Band-aid” that does not fix a broken immigration system. But Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., a long-time DREAM Act supporter and senior Senate Democrat who chaired the hearing, made clear that he will push to pass the measure.
In Annapolis, Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley said that he believes in giving those who are willing to work hard for a better future the chance at pursuing higher education. “In Maryland, we are committed to providing every child with access to public education. We will continue to watch what happens at the federal level,” he said.
He signed the Maryland Dream Act into law last month, allowing undocumented immigrants to get in-state college tuition.
Sean Johnson, the director of legislative and political affairs for Maryland State Education Association, said it is not clear whether the government’s talks on immigration issues will have a direct impact on Maryland’s version of the DREAM Act
But, he said, “the federal government acting on it is a good environment and a good sign.”
The state’s law will take effect Friday unless opponents can get 55,736 signatures on a petition by midnight Thursday to put a referendum on the measure.
Immigrant advocacy group Casa de Maryland will hold a press conference on Thursday to defend the state law.