DREAM Act: fair or unjust?
The DREAM Act that was passed allowing illegal immigrants to enter the financial aid system is very helpful to generations who were brought to America before they had the choice, but the bill can be costly and leave less space in classrooms for citizens.
The bill requires illegal immigrant students to have attended three years of California high school education and to have graduated in order to access state financial aid.
But the question is, if they set these requirements on them, and it makes them eligible for our funding,why not make them a citizen as well?
“These students have played by the rules, learned our language and have been admitted to our highest levels of education,” said Assemblyman Gil Cedillo.
If these students are going to be tapping into our funding and going to be put in the system, it should be mandatory that they become citizens. Why call them ‘illegal immigrants’ if most of their education is coming from America?
Many families with young children come to the United States illegally. If the children are willing to work hard for an education in America, then they should have one, as well as citizenship.
Since the Assembly Bill 131 that Gov. Jerry Brown approved there is no denying the facts.
Estimated costs, according to the State Department of Finance, are $25.5 million for state aid including fee waivers for community colleges, and financial aid provided by individual campuses.
There will be additional students on campus and the competition for classes will become higher. This calls for a demand in more teachers and more funding for colleges, which was an issue prior to the DREAM Act.
This is something we cannot stop from happening. Whether the DREAM Act was put in to effect or not, there will still be a great competition out there for us as students, this will just make the competition that much more of a challenge. Which is good, competition in this day in age in inevitable, and no matter what it will be a challenge.
Although AB131 can raise illegal immigration, at least it has the set requirements that narrow the amount of immigrants that are eligible for state financial aid.
For the students that will be attending college in effect of AB131, it is completely fair, these students have obviously stayed focused throughout tough times, studied in California and they deserve a clear shot at an education.