Will this worthy bill finally be passed? It's gotten close several times and this is the first time it has had a vote since the Democrats took over Congress. For those of you not familiar with the DREAM Act, it is a proposal to allow people who



- entered the US before age 16
- have been in the country at least five years
- have graduated high school
- have good moral character (including no criminal history)



to get a conditional green card that could be converted to an unconditional green card after attending college or serving in the military.



The bill will likely be considered for inclusion on the Defense Department Authorization bill being considered next week.



These young people deserve a shot at the American dream. If you want to blame their parents for breaking laws, so be it. But these are folks who cannot be accused of wantonly breaking US laws. Many came as babies and the only life they know is that of an American. I've had clients who grew up actually believing they were American only to discover the shocking truth when they tried to sign up for the military or get in state tuition for college. I had one client who came to the country at age four and only found out he was an illegal alien when he applied for a license to become a dentist!



Please take the time to contact your Senator and tell them to support the DREAM Act. You can find more information on this by going to the AILA advocacy page on this subject.