New York Board Of Regents To Draft Own Version Of State DREAM Act

New York's Board of Regents is looking to support a state version of the federal DREAM Act, a move that comes on the heels of its endorsement of the national proposal as well as last month's passage of the California DREAM Act, NY1 reports.

The Board of Regents would write their own draft of the legislation, which would be similar to state bills introduced in March that would open up opportunities for undocumented students to receive scholarships, obtain driver's licenses and practice a profession. They must also have come to the United States before the age of 16 and have lived at least two years in the state. Unlike the federal DREAM Act, the New York bill would not permit granting students legal status.

The state bill is expected to ease access to higher education for about 345,000 students across New York.

The regents' draft, however, also wouldn't expand to undocumented students access to driver's licenses or health care, NY1 reports.

Last month, Board of Regents Chancellor and State Education Commissioner John King sent a letter to New York's congressional delegation, urging them to support the DREAM Act when it comes before them on the national level. Congress failed to pass the federal DREAM Act last year, the latest of several reintroductions since its first appearance in 2001.

Earlier this week, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan praised states that are making efforts to encourage public education for children of undocumented immigrants.

"They are either going to be taxpayers and productive citizens and entrepreneurs and innovators or they are going to be on the sidelines and a drag on the economy," Duncan told the Associated Press.

More than a dozen states have enacted policies that increase access to public education for undocumented students. Rhode Island's Board of Governors recently approved in-state tuition for undocumented citizens, effective next fall. Connecticut has passed similar legislation.

California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a two-part bill into law over the last few months that allows undocumented students to receive limited financial aid and makes undocumented students eligible for public scholarships.

Comments

[arecibo48]

10:33 AM on 11/13/2011

This proposal is a good thing; many of these children will become citizens and they should be educated.

[Eric Mann]

01:22 AM on 11/13/2011

Why is it that when a state oversteps its legal powers and wades into citizenship issues as Alabama did, some people were all for it. When a state decides to take a different tack, people are up in arms about it. What happened to your call for States' rights?

[zoe4444]

12:27 PM on 11/12/2011

We cannot afford colleg for our own children, how will we afford this? Will taxes be raised or will the cost of tuition go up?
As it stands in New York now, undocumented applying for social services need not prove income and MUST be taken at their word when applying for services.
28 billion a year is sent to Mexico alone in remittances from workers here, many that depend our taxpaid services to support them and their children.
Often their income is not reported when when applying for services, since they are undocumented there is no way to prove income, wrongdoing, or fraud.
Student loans and government grants will probably have the same rules for the undocumented. Income need not be reported!

[Eric Mann]

01:20 AM on 11/13/2011

Y'all are for states' rights until it goes the other way eh?

[Viper1st]

10:30 AM on 11/12/2011

New York Board of Regents when writing their draft of The DREAM Act legislation ~ should include:

1) Protection of the eligible DREAMers from Obama's record-breaking deportations of illegals at - 1 illegal deported every 79 seconds of every hour, of every day, of every week, of every month of BHO's 32-month presidency

2) Protection of U.S. Employers' facing Federal Felony Convictions, in hiring unemployable illegals upon college graduation ~ violating U.S.C. 8 § 1324a : US Code - Section 1324A: Unlawful employment of aliens. U.S. Federal Immigration Law for over 25 years now. Enacted on November 6, 1986

3) Waiver of ALL Professional Career Licensing requirements, involving Background Checks requiring FingerPrinting and valid SSNs

[Viper1st]

10:02 AM on 11/12/2011

Would not this proposed legislation violate the Aiding & Abeting clause in existing U.S. Federal Immigration Laws, on the books since November 6, 1986?

In Part ~

U.S.C. 8 § 1324 : US Code - Section 1324: Bringing in and harboring certain aliens

(a) Criminal penalties
(iv) encourages or induces an alien to come to, enter, or
reside in the United States, knowing or in reckless disregard of
the fact that such coming to, entry, or residence is or will be
in violation of law; or
(v)(I) engages in any conspiracy to commit any of the preceding
acts, or
(II) aids or abets the commission of any of the preceding acts,
shall be punished as provided in subparagraph (B).
(B) A person who violates subparagraph (A) shall, for each alien
in respect to whom such a violation occurs -
(i) in the case of a violation of subparagraph (A)(i) or (v)(I)
or in the case of a violation of subparagraph (A)(ii), (iii), or
(iv) in which the offense was done for the purpose of commercial
advantage or private financial gain, be fined under title 18,
imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both;
(ii) in the case of a violation of subparagraph (A)(ii), (iii),
(iv), or (v)(II), be fined under title 18, imprisoned not more
than 5 years, or both;

[massjim]

09:32 AM on 11/12/2011

More distraction because of government failure.

I'd prefer laws had been reasonable ( quicker immigration processing ) and enforced, but at this point we need to make these people legal, not as citizens but by granting special, temporary (2 year?) work permits. No family member working? Deport them.

Part of this would be to force employers to pay legal wages, make these people register cars, get licenses, pay taxes, stop identity fraud and theft. Stop the acceptance and condoning of illegal behavior.

[laujos16]

08:40 PM on 12/04/2011

I agree but do you guys ever think that not all of "these people" are Mexican or Spanish but from the Caribbean and they abide by the laws of the land, they work and they pay their taxes those that are ALLOWED or CAN get a tax ID and they are willing to move higher in society buy becoming house owners or helping the economy in other ways. Or even those who don't have jobs and are trying so hard to get one but because they need a social security number and they can not get one without being a permanent resident; which they have no means of getting to that; how are they supposed to be a help to society when all these law makers make it so difficult to take just the littlest step?!

This general perspective of immigration needs to stop. There are others out there who are striving day to day to help themselves. Their children who have been in this country from very small do exceptionally well in school and work EXTRA hard because they know just working hard alone is not enough. They have dreams just like any other American CITIZEN. It is so wrong that so many have to pay for the wrong doings of others. These children and their parents deserve a chance to help and progress in THEIR country; a country they have lived in for so long; a country they call HOME!!

WE deserve a chance!

[averagezoe]

10:05 PM on 12/04/2011

I absolutely agree with you. People who come to this country in order to better themselves and to have a shot at a decent life deserve the chance to make that happen. All the true blue Americans that are ranting and raving and screaming for mass deportation seem to forget that their ancestors were once in the same position and if they had not been given that chance, none of them would be here today.

[iuriggs6]

09:22 AM on 11/12/2011

And the pandering continues........

[Viper1st]

03:18 AM on 11/12/2011

All this hating ~

If only, 11.2 million illegals became 11.2 million Naturalized U.S. Citizens

Problem solved.

[massjim]

09:37 AM on 11/12/2011

Why citizens? Why such a reward for bad behavior? I would advocate temporary work permits for those without criminal background. Any criminal background or not working then deport them. Make employers register these employees with the government and pay legal wages.

[Viper1st]

10:09 AM on 11/12/2011

Aw ~ but, pro-legalists assert the CRIMINAL Background Checks, currently under the supervision by the USCIS in "Vetting" current 1 million legal immigrants entering the USA each & every year since 2001 ~

Takes too long ~ cause the immigrant applicants' homeland countries of origin take TOO LONG to respond to requests from the U.S. Gov't about their Nationals' certification of Criminal Backgrounds

[broui]

12:21 PM on 11/14/2011

Bad behavior? Nonsense.

Read Plyler v. Doe (1983). Children are not guilty of violating immigration laws. Period.

IF these children do what we've asked of them - get the grades, behave as citizens, etc. We ought to reward them with more education opportunities and a PATH to citizenship.

[averagezoe]

06:56 PM on 11/11/2011

Assuming that each and everyone's ancestors were immigrants at one point, this outpouring of hatred and bigotry is disconcerting. Granting children who came here illegally at a young age an opportunity to obtain an education is not only the right thing to do, it's also in the best interest of the country as a whole. All of you who are ranting and raving and scream for their heads on a platter should consider that eliminating the influx of illegal immigrants is something that we will most likely never be able to stem completely, so ask yourselves if you'd rather have educated, responsible adults in your neighborhoods or knife-wielding drug dealers. In-state tuition is based solely on the length of time a person has resided in any given state, nothing else, so even if these kids do not have legal status, as long as the residency requirements are fulfilled, they are simply treated like every other student but are not getting any breaks. After all, they are here through no fault of their own. As an atheist, I appear to have more compassion than all of you religious zealots and bible-thumping do-gooders combined.

[Don Honda]

09:32 PM on 11/11/2011

Sorry to say, you are a perfect example of a hate rant with absolutely no purpose or valid argument.

[averagezoe]

09:46 PM on 11/11/2011

I am even sorrier to have to tell you that are sadly lacking in little grey cells or you would be able to differentiate between a hate rant and a statement of fact. Not a single word I said implied any hatred on my part, but you are obviously so filled with odium that you see it even where it is nonexistent.

[RatPack78]

06:50 PM on 11/11/2011

Because when unemployment is high and people are broke we want to use taxpayer money to help people who are here illegally more competitive in the job market. Absolutely brilliant.

[nasknit]

02:37 AM on 11/12/2011

F&F!

[VegasBabe]

04:05 PM on 11/12/2011

x2

[SWEETSPOT]

06:11 PM on 11/11/2011

There is an article on today that talks about the lack of jobs for service men and women coming home from serving. And states that wish to make their own immigration laws are taken to court, and millions of taxpayer dollars are wasted fighting it out in a courtroom. I hope the attorney general fights this as well. Its an overstep of the state. What is good for the goose is good for the gander!

[Don Honda]

05:53 PM on 11/11/2011

Don't do it! How the CA DREAM Act does not help anyone:
http://www.600words.com/2011/10/ca-dream-act-misleads-all-including-its-beneficiaries.html

What happens when AB 131 Illegal Alien Students get a free CA higher education at the expense of (mostly) Middle Class Legal CA Residents and Legal Immigrants and cannot be legally employed: They go back to their “home country”, even though “USA is the only home I know.”:
http://unioncity.patch.com/articles/acting-on-a-dream-a-look-into-the-life-of-an-undocumented-student-8bbc3666

CA AB 131 hurts Legal Students:
The Assembly analysis of AB 131, the controversial segment, "The number of awards to California Residents will not diminish." explained in clear language.

http://leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/asm/ab_0101-0150/ab_131_cfa_20110831_202353_asm_floor.html

"This bill specifically provides that the number of awards received by California residents through campus-administered programs not be diminished as a result of expanding access to these programs to include AB 540 students. While the number of institutional aid awards cannot be diminished, the bill could result in a change in the mix of recipients and a change in the amounts received by students."

The NUMBER will not diminish. When AB 131 Illegal Alien Students get in, the amount of money or even not being awarded aid to Legal California Resident Students be affected due to being based on need and not merit.

[Rafael Perez]

07:14 PM on 11/11/2011

New York isn't California, just saying. New York isn't going to copy California, or Texas. Yes, Texas has a DREAM Act since 2001 (HB1403) and that law isn't like California or other states' versions of their DREAM Act.

So your argument to say that the CA version is going to be copied to the NY version is a complete fail. Fail whale.

[Don Honda]

07:35 PM on 11/11/2011

So as to what happens in California, happens to the rest of the country. First, in-state tuition, then demanding access to State public funds to finance a free higher education. Just call me Nostradamus, Fail Whale.

[Viper1st]

08:49 AM on 11/12/2011

Texas BH 1403 was repealed in 2005 by Texas SB 1528 ~ no where in either bill does the language state The DREAM Act

They are both, no more than "post-secondary" "in-state" tuition ~

http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/reports/PDF/1528.PDF

Texas, joined by 12 other States, does offer in-state tuition to illegals

"Thirteen states subsequently enacted legislation to allow long-term unauthorized immigrant students to become eligible for in-state tuition if they meet certain requirements: California, Connecticut, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin. In 2008, Oklahoma ended its support for in-state tuition for students without lawful presence."

http://www.ncsl.org/IssuesResearch/Immigration/InStateTuitionandUnauthorizedImmigrants/tabid/13100/Default.aspx

To date, two entities offer The DREAM Act legislation ~

The State of California
The Municipality of Chicago, IL

[alpina]

05:47 PM on 11/11/2011

Shouldn't the associated stock photo have been a pic of che guevara standing in front of a Mexican flag??

[Sesame2009]

05:42 PM on 11/11/2011

Horribly written article.  The New York Bill is only about giving in-state tuition to undocumented students.  It does NOT provide students with driver's licenses or give them the legal documentation to seek employment.  The only thing it does is allow undocumented students to receive in-state tuition.  That's it.  

When advocates say it allows them to seek professions, it only does so indirectly.  It provides the EDUCATION needed to seek professions.  It does NOT provide the legal status to do so.  Their immigration status and therefore employment status will still fall under the jurisdiction of the federal government.  

For future reference, please do not use articles from Fox Skews as your source of information.  They tend not to tell the truth.

[Viper1st]

07:02 PM on 11/11/2011

"States Revise Rules on Driver's Licenses for Illegal Immigrants as National ID Approaches"

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/02/17/states-revise-rules-drivers-licenses-illegal-immigrants-national-id-approaches/#ixzz1dRcN7olI

[Sesame2009]

12:55 AM on 11/12/2011

First of all, Fox News?  Really?  What did I just say?

Secondly, the article is from February. 

Thirdly, it has nothing to do with this bill or even the State of New York.  

The article is about some states who will have to be in compliance with the soon to be enacted federal law that will ban giving ID to illegal immigrants.  

Nice Try Sweetie.

[Duppy]

05:39 PM on 11/11/2011

WAY TO GO NEW YORK !