But its prognosis for the future might be better if citizenship were reserved for those who earned it through true sacrifice or public works, rather than giving it away to anyone willing to spend a couple of years in college building his or her own resume or skills.
Under the Dream Act, children who entered the country before age 16, finished high school or obtained a GED, showed good moral character and completed two years of military service or college could earn U.S. citizenship.
About 800,000 of the estimated 11 million immigrants in the country illegally would qualify for citizenship under the Dream Act.
The premise of the legislation is noble. It is aimed at children who bear no blame or responsibility in the circumstances that brought them to the U.S. Having grown up in Texas, California, New Mexico, New York, Arizona, Florida and many other states, they are American by virtually every measure — culture, language, education — except legal status.
They dream American, wanting to go to college or join the military, raise families and buy homes, cars, iPads and Wii games. The legislation is compassionate, recognizing the injustice of punishing the innocent. And it also recognizes that it is in our best interests to generate college graduates who return their talents and taxes to the country.
But the Dream Act is lopsided because it requires too little in return for the priceless (and lifetime) gift of citizenship. It’s time to strike a better balance that reflects reality. It is time to ask those Americans-in-waiting to do more.
Certainly the provision that requires two years of military service is solid. Call me naive, but I believe most Americans would support citizenship for those who are willing to put their lives on the line for the country. And the Defense Department has pointed out its practical value in helping to replenish an all-volunteer military strained by two wars.
But the higher education provision is hardly a sacrifice. On the contrary, it serves as a reward for families who have broken the law to enter the country. And it is elitist in an unsavory way, suggesting that we value those who spend a few years in college (whether they graduate or not) over those children who arrive just as innocent, practice the same moral values, but work in blue-collar or no-collar jobs for 10 to 12 hours a day, earning low wages. There is no Dream Act for them.
Somehow we have confused higher education with public service. They’re not the same. Higher education is a wonderful opportunity offered to all — citizens and foreign students alike — who complete high school and do well enough to be admitted to our colleges and universities.
Even community colleges that have open admissions offer great opportunities in training people for good jobs at good wages. College-educated folks do tend to do better and contribute back to their communities. But college clearly enhances the individual so that he or she can move up the economic ladder.
If sacrifice is involved, it’s a personal one. And in many states, the Dream Act would be more gift than sacrifice, allowing illegal immigrant students to pay in-state tuition and get financial aid. Texas has practiced that policy since 2001. Last fall, more than 12,000 students — about 1 percent of all Texas college students — benefited from the state law granting in-state tuition, according to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Most of the immigrants among those students were illegal.
To make the Dream Act more palatable to the public, why not require students to complete two years of public service on top of earning a two-year or four-year degree at a college? So a student with a two-year nursing degree from a community college might be required to work in an underserved area in Texas or elsewhere, or a college graduate might be asked to work as a teacher in a high-needs school.
They could fulfill the public service requirement by joining AmeriCorps or volunteering for Habitat for Humanity or another reputable charity. Then we would know what the country is getting out of the deal.
Some thought should be given to addressing the plight of illegal immigrant high school graduates who don’t choose college or the military but who are productive, employed, law-abiding folks. Perhaps their requirements should be higher, but they are no less deserving of a Dream Act.
The point is to raise the bar so that citizenship is earned. Then the Dream Act might become reality.
Alberta Phillips writes for the Austin (Texas) American-Statesman. E-mail: aphillips@statesman.com.