In his State of the Union address last evening, President Barack Obama urged Congress to take on the issue of illegal immigration, implying that addressing that issue would include passage of the DREAM Act.
The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act, or DREAM Act, would provide a path to citizenship for undocumented students who join the military or pursue higher education. “Today, there are hundreds of thousands of students excelling in our schools who are not American citizens,” the president said. “Some are the children of undocumented workers, who had nothing to do with the actions of their parents. They grew up as Americans and pledge allegiance to our flag, and yet live every day with the threat of deportation.”
He said the nation should find a way to use the talents of such youths.
A version of the DREAM Act was passed in the U.S. House of Representatives in December but stalled after introduction to the U.S. Senate.