DREAM Act

The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act, known as the DREAM Act, is a United States legislative proposal that would grant temporary conditional residency, with the right to work, to qualified applicants following illegal immigration to the United States as minors—and, if they later satisfy further qualifications, they would attain permanent residency.

In April 2001, United States senators Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) first introduced the bill in the Senate as S. 1291, but it did not pass. The proposal has since been reintroduced several times, and approved by a majority in the House and in the Senate, but not by sufficient margins to overcome filibusters by the Republican Party. The failure of Congress to pass the DREAM Act, despite bipartisan support, led the Obama administration to implement Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which provided renewable, temporary protections for individuals that would have otherwise been protected by the DREAM Act.

Requirements

The beneficiaries of the proposed DREAM Act would have to meet the following requirements to qualify:

Not be inadmissible to or deportable from the United States, or be in Temporary Protected Status (Sec. 3(b)(1))

Have proof of having arrived in the United States before age 16 (Dream Act of 2017, S.1615, Sec.3(b)(1)(B), and HR3440, Sec.3(b)(1)(B)).

Have proof of residency in the United States for at least five consecutive years

If a male born in 1960 or later, have registered with the Selective Service

Be between the ages of 12 and 35 at the time of bill enactment

Have graduated from an American high school, obtained a GED, or been admitted to an institution of higher education

Be of good moral character

During the first six years, qualifying people would be granted "conditional" status and would be required to (a) graduate from a two-year community college or (b) complete at least two years towards a four-year degree or (c) serve two years in the US military. After this six-year period, those who meet at least one of these three conditions would be eligible to apply for permanent resident status. During this six-year conditional period, they would not be eligible for federal higher education grants such as Pell grants but they would be able to apply for student loans and work study.

If they have met all of the conditions at the end of the 6-year conditional period, they would be granted permanent residency, which would eventually allow them to become U.S. citizens.