White House Makes Final Push On DREAM Act

WASHINGTON -- The DREAM Act, which would allow some undocumented immigrants under the age of 30 to remain in the country legally in exchange for two years of college education or military service, would be a boon to military recruitment, White House Defense Undersecretary Clifford Stanley argued in a conference call Tuesday in a last-ditch effort to win support for the bill.

"We have a lot of undocumented students out there who really are talented," Stanley said. "Bringing in talented people in the cyclical nature of our recruiting process is really important."

The bill could come up for a vote as early as Wednesday, but faces a stiff opposition from Senate Republicans who have pledged to block all legislation not related to taxes.

At least four Republicans are likely needed to cross the aisle to avoid a filibuster, and most of the seven current GOP senators who supported the bill in 2007 have now indicated they will vote against it.

Among Democrats, most of those who voted against the bill's 2007 iteration have remained silent on how they plan to vote. A spokesman for Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) said the senator is still undecided on the issue. Spokesmen for Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) did not respond to requests for comment.

A number of military leaders have come out in support of the DREAM Act, including Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

"The expansion of the pool of eligible youth that would result from the DREAM Act provides an important opportunity to selectively manage against the highest qualification standards.," Gates wrote in a September letter to senators. "This will result in improved recruitment results and attendant gains in unit manning and military performance."

The Pentagon mentioned the act in its strategic plan for fiscal years 2010 to 2012, calling it a way to help "shape and maintain a mission-ready All Volunteer Force."

An estimated 726,000 illegal immigrants would be immediately eligible for the DREAM Act and up to 2.1 million people would eventually be eligible to apply for legal status under the bill, according to a July study by the non-partisan Migration Policy Institute.

Although the bad job market has led to a strong period of military recruitment, "that will change" given the cyclical nature of recruiting, Stanley said. An increase in the pool of potential military recruits would significantly ease the process of fully staffing the armed forces, he said.

Although undocumented immigrants would not be allowed to hold positions requiring high-level clearance, they could serve in a number of other positions, including driving tanks and serving in the infantry, Stanley said.

"There are a lot of positions right now where we need smart people who can think," he said. "We're just increasing the pool of high-quality people who are going to be enlisting and that's important to us."

The White House has also argued the DREAM Act would be beneficial for immigration enforcement, allowing the Department of Homeland Security to focus deportation efforts on illegal immigrants deemed dangerous rather than potential DREAM Act beneficiaries.

In a letter sent Monday to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano urged them to vote for the DREAM Act.

"The Department of Homeland Security is committed to the smart and effective enforcement of our immigration laws -- prioritizing the identification and removal of criminal aliens who pose a threat to public safety," Napolitano wrote. "Passage of the DREAM Act would further enhance these efforts by providing a firm, but fair, means for those individuals who were brought to the United States as children to obtain a legal status."

White House Director for Intergovernmental Affairs Cecilia Munoz said she is hopeful for winning Republican support for the bill based on its potential benefits for the military and DHS.

"We believe that if the Congress is looking past politics and to the future of the country we will see a strong vote tomorrow," Munoz said.

Comments

[itsjusttoolate]

01:24 PM on 12/09/2010

I'm sick and tired of always hearing about our govt doing somthing for foriegners that will cost US money! I live in DC and I can't stand all the stuck up foreigners that go to our universitys, drive around in a $50k car daddy sent them with and don't even raise their head to say 'hi' to anyone.They only associate with themselves and don't give a shiiit about the US or the people living here.

This country is wayyy overrun with foreigners and no time should be wasted in helping them find the Academic Dream here in the US. IN FACT I think all none US citizens should have to pay double in tuition OR make it mandatory that they serve 2 years in our armed forces.

But of course we would never do that cause that could upset someone. Awwhhh, I'm so hurt by the way the big bad US treats people.

I freakin hate it@@!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Donkey Joto]

04:29 PM on 12/08/2010

I Have my own Dream act, I would like to see thousands of gree "Migra" buses all over Los Angeles loading up the hundreds of thousands of illegal mexicans and driving them back across the border. Los Angeles county spends 25% of it's social services for illegal aliens. The free ride is over, too many cities are broke and can NO longer afford to provide schools, hospitals and welfare for the anchor babies of mexico's poor uneducated aliens. Mass deportaion .... Si Se Puede !!

[Viper1st]

01:22 PM on 12/08/2010

What's not being upfront about is the costs of The DREAM Act to the U.S. Taxpayer

$6.2 billion a year for the life-span of The DREAM Act ~ minimum 14 yrs

Want my support ~ find a way for the beneficari­es of The DREAM Act to self fund this proposed legislatio­n

Right now ~ the U.S. Taxpayers are funding the Unemployme­nt Insurance Benefits of $54 billion per year for 16 million unemployed Americans displaced by the insourcing 11 million illegal workers taking Americans jobs for half-price wages

Bottom line ~ My humanitari­an compassion is forcused on the 13 million children & the families of 16 million Americans out of work facing proverty, rather than an est 2.1 million illegal children wanting U.S. citizenshi­p

News Flash ~ the U.S. economy is in the tanks ~ other than emergency expenditur­es, no new legislatio­n requiring funding should be adopted

[iuriggs6]

10:49 AM on 12/08/2010

Why can't we focus on jobs and education for people that are already citizens of this country?

[Viper1st]

10:38 AM on 12/08/2010

NOTE to University of California students marching in support of The DREAM Act ~

Next time you march ~ might consider not flying Mexican flags, but instead the flag of the USA

To me ~ it's a deal ki//er to gain my support of your cause

photos on the internet ~ google it

[Kurfco]

11:58 AM on 12/08/2010

We have failed for so long to enforce our laws that the sense of entitlement just radiates from these illegal aliens.

[ilovemyprez]

12:19 PM on 12/08/2010

Agreed!!!

[boscobear]

10:27 AM on 12/08/2010

These people are not immigrants, they are illegals. Calling them immigrants is lilke calling a drug pusher an unlicensed pharmacist.

[Wong23]

10:41 AM on 12/08/2010

In America one is not illegal until one has been convicted of a crime.

See how that works?

They are undocumented workers.

[Viper1st]

10:47 AM on 12/08/2010

Beg to differ

illegal immedately upon entering the USA w/o docs

criminal upon be convicted of a crime

[ilovemyprez]

12:20 PM on 12/08/2010

Don't we have immigration laws? Isn't it illegal to break them?

[SangZe]

08:30 AM on 12/08/2010

White House? What's that? You mean that overly elaborate waste of taxpayer money that houses that inept man who caves in at the slightest drop of a feather?

[DARRELL LANIER]

08:09 AM on 12/08/2010

The way the lame duck session is going, they'll be lucky if they even have a chance to bring it to the floor.

[massjim]

07:50 AM on 12/08/2010

I'll agree that a minor child brought here by their parents is not at fault for their illegal status, but their parents are (probably child endangerment and identity theft/fraud also). Applicatio­n for benefits under the Dream Act is an admission that a crime occurred and should trigger an investigat­ion by authoritie­s.

[DC]

10:08 AM on 12/08/2010

The country enabled the "crime." US industry has depended on a stats of workers out side of the system. The ag industry alone would crush if they left.

The service industry would fall apart.

The result is that we have millions of young people with this status. Time to do the right think and legally integrate all into society as productive citizens instead of keeping them in the shadows.

It is destructive and cost the country more.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/taxes/2008-04-10-immigrantstaxes_N.htm

[Viper1st]

10:43 AM on 12/08/2010

Less than 10% of illegals working in the USA work in the Ag industry

Service industry has SEIU and would not fall apart

You give too much credit to illegals' contibution in the USA

[massjim]

02:42 PM on 12/08/2010

Isn't that like saying that my neighbor enabled the crime when I stole his lawnmower because he just left it there? Is that the high moral values of the people we are talking about making citizens, you can't wave something enticing in front of them because then they forget the law?

[ipresumelikely]

07:11 AM on 12/08/2010

I think many would be inclined to support this bill if we were actually doing something to stop the constant influx of undocumented people from swarming over our borders. I haven't seen any impact studies to show exactly how many more workers we can sustain/absorb when there aren't enough jobs for citizens and current immigrants. This bill seems like an incentive for future undocumented workers to bring their families here. They should stipulate that this bill is only for immigrants who have already been here. Then it expires.

[voyager48]

01:10 PM on 12/08/2010

Everyone is saying that SB1070 has cost AZ $140 million and also that 100,000 illegals have left AZ. At $1,300 each, I say that is a bargain!

Recent reports show that Illegal families create a deficit of $10,000 per year. At family units of 4 that means 25,000 familes left AZ which should ease the state budget by $250 million.

Add to that the funds that DHS was quoting as the cost to put additional troops on the AZ border at $500 Million.

Now if between the employer sanctions bill and SB1070 we can get at least another 100,000 to leave, we would have a potential savings of $1Bn....

Well it just so happens that the 2011 state budget deficit is around $1BN ......... Hmmm?

[ManuOB1]

06:57 AM on 12/08/2010

That was supposed to be VOTE. I HATE auto-correct!

[ManuOB1]

06:56 AM on 12/08/2010

White House gets this done and repeals DADT and POTUS gets my bite again.

[drbslurp]

06:45 AM on 12/08/2010

eh - pass it - so that when R's take over we have the info on these people to round them up and deport them.

[jaycasey]

06:15 AM on 12/08/2010

This legislation makes too much sense. Of course the Republicans are going to oppose it.

[Aarontastic]

05:37 AM on 12/08/2010

I hope they succeed in passing this bill--not only would it be great politically for the Democrats, but it would also be a terrific boon to this country, in more ways than just benefiting the military. This country would be foolish to slam its door in the face of immigrants who provide to this country, and who are already so attached to it. In reality, they are culturally Americans already--for god's sake, just make it official already.

[drbslurp]

06:45 AM on 12/08/2010

They aren't immigrants - they are illegals. I'd rather have the country filled with people who obey our laws.

[romano70]

08:44 AM on 12/08/2010

this kids didn't have an option. They were dragged in by their parents. If you knew anything about law, you'd know that there is a little thing that makes all the difference: intent to break the law. there was none here. By the way, why don't you send your kids to the Army? New recruits are in short supply, you know?

[Aarontastic]

08:58 AM on 12/08/2010

I don't like the term 'illegals'--it makes it sound as if these people are somehow inherently outlawed, like their very status in life is illegitimate. I should have said 'illegal immigrants' to be technically correct, I guess.

However, it's sort of an interesting case, because we are talking about a group of people who 'broke the law' when they were 15 or younger--underage, by any standard, and under the control of their parents. So yes, their parents came here against the law, and they brought their children, some of whom weren't even born yet, with them. Technically, that makes them illegal immigrants too--but I don't think you can argue that they are willful lawbreakers. They are not. If anything, they are victims of circumstance, brought to a country and raised here against their own will, and now they are so much a part of it, that many of them don't remember their native country, and are actively involved in American society.

These people don't really qualify as lawbreakers, since they hardly had a choice in the matter. So if you are genuinely scared that we're extending our munificence to a bunch of outlaws, put those fears to rest; 99% of these people aren't going to commit any crimes other than the one which their parents committed on their behalf.