Blue Collar Muse

UPDATE: As the anonymous commenter rather snarkily points out,  I learned after posting that the  program for non-citizens seeking citizenship via military service applies only to legal immigrants and, possibly, those making requests from another country but not yet present in the US (I’m still looking into that).  Thus I was correct that we currently have a program but wrong that illegal aliens qualify.

Two thoughts -

#1 - In the event non-citizens can apply from their home country, and current illegals return home, would they be eligible?

#2 - My error actually adds to the seriousness of Senator Durbin’s actions.  If I had been right, he would have been merely ignorant of the opportunity.  As I am wrong, then Senator Durbin is trying to sneak in a part of the Amnesty bill that America soundly defeated by linking it to Defense authorizations with an option for military sservice.  Why?  Becuause he knows the majority of American opinion has always been solidly behind the soldier if not behind the war.  So he ties it, deceptively, to Defense.  Why not to an Education bill since, after all, it’s the DREAM Act and the ‘E’ is for Education and nary a mention of the military?

I regret my error, but it doesn’t fundamentally change the argument.  Durbin is trying to pull a fast one.  He knows it and now we do, too

Updated 9-18-07 at 13:47 CST

This morning, Nashville radio talk-show host Michael DelGiorno announced the US Senate was considering an end run around the recent defeat of the President’s Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act, often referred to as The Amnesty Bill.

Despite overwhelming opposition from the general public to what practically amounts to the contents of the entire CIRA, Senator Dick Durbin, Democrat from Illinois, recently announced he would renew efforts to pass a portion of it. That portion is The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, or the DREAM Act.

The DREAM Act provides a pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens and their children provided they meet specific requirements, including:

Proof of having arrived in the United States before reaching 16 years of age;

Proof of residence in the United States for a least five (5) consecutive years since their date of arrival.

Having graduated from an American High School, or obtained a GED.

“Good moral character,” essentially defined as the absence of a significant criminal record (or any drug charges whatsoever).

An estimated 65,000 immigrant students who meet these requirements graduate from high school each year.

Immigrants who meet the above requirements would be eligible to apply for a temporary six (6) year “conditional” residence permit which would allow them to live legally in the United States, obtain driver’s licenses, attend college as in-state residents, work legally (including obtaining a social security number), and apply for special travel documents which would allow for travel outside of the country for limited amounts of time.

It is not new legislation. The DREAM Act’s Wikipedia entry also notes:

The bill, in all its incarnations, has never been brought to a vote in either the United States House or the United States Senate. The text of the bill has also been included in various other immigration-related bills, including the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006, which was approved by the Senate and the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007, which failed in a 46-53 cloture vote in the Senate. [1]

What is unique about this attempt is that Senator Durbin is not introducing the bill as a stand alone or as part of legislation dealing with immigration. This time around, it’s being attached as part of Defense Department’s authorizations. Citing legitimate support from the military for offering citizenship opportunities for non-citizens volunteering for military service as a way of making up recruiting shortfalls, Durbin and others are trying to sell the DREAM Act as a method of rewarding hard working illegal aliens with citizenship for serving our country. Unfortunately for the Senate Democrat, his plan is flawed. We don’t need The DREAM Act to make this offer to the thousands of illegal aliens who would be eligible for citizenship under its provisions. The military already does exactly that right now and has for years! In fact, on page 2 of the article, it is noted that specific military resources are available to assist soldiers in acquire citizenship in every branch of the US Armed Forces. And since requirements for military service are pretty much the same as those for the DREAM Act, this route is easily and freely available to any person graduating from High School in the US – legal or illegal.

Why then, has Senator Durbin reintroduced this legislation? There would seem to be two parts to the answer.

The first is related to tying DREAM to Defense. Despite some opposition to the war, most Americans tend to support the troops. Anything that can be demonstrated to help the soldiers - from better personal and vehicular armor to help in making sure there are enough soldiers to support each other is going to garner support. But as an add on to the Defense authorization bill, it also has the advantage of stealth. With all the hue and cry for support for the military, especially from the same folks that were so opposed to CIR Act, tying DREAM to Defense makes it possible DREAM’s opponents will never know DREAM is part of the package. It gives law makers cover as well when answering to voters. They can claim they were forced to vote for it in order to get Defense dollars allocated. But as we have seen, that’s not true.

The second part is the real reason I believe Senator Durbin will not let this DREAM die. It adds another path to citizenship that does not involve the military. According to the Wikipedia entry,

During the six years of conditional status, the eligible immigrant would be required to either (1) graduate from a two-year community college, (2) complete at least two years towards a 4-year degree, or (3) serve two years in the U.S. military. After the six year period, an immigrant who meets at least one of these three conditions would be eligible to apply for legal permanent resident (green card) status. During their temporary time, immigrants would not be eligible for federal higher education grants such as Pell grants, though they would be able to apply for student loans and work study.

If Durbin’s DREAM comes true, access to the American Dream is just a Junior College degree away for anyone who cares to try. Add to that the charge (which I have NOT been able to verify) that another provision of DREAM is not just eligibility for in-state tuition rates for illegal aliens (that would be bad enough) but outright subsidizing of their education by providing it to them at no charge. Of course, US citizens would continue to pay both in and out-of-state tuition as is applicable.

The Democrat from Illinois says this is all about rewarding the hard work and initiative of the illegals who keep their nose clean and work hard to graduate from High School. He says we want these sorts of folks as citizens and that college will make them that much more valuable to our country. And he’s absolutely right about all of that.

But all of that assumes the illegals in question are planning on becoming a part of the American Dream, planning on staying, planning on assimilating, planning on renouncing their native country and adopting the US of A and making it Home Sweet Home. As Durbin notes, these kids didn’t choose to come here, they were brought here. Then they enjoyed the advantages of being here.

If they want to stay here, I have no problem with giving them the opportunity to remain by requiring they give something back as an indication of their intent to be an American. Something that requires a sacrifice of them and doesn’t simply add another reward to all the ones they enjoy by virtue of their location. The US military, politicians and people alike – for years – have recognized that voluntary service in the military would serve as an excellent way for potential citizens to demonstrate exactly that.

And if college is what they want, why, there’s the GI Bill as well as valuable ongoing educational opportunities in the military itself. And along the way we feed, clothe, house them. If that is not a sweet enough deal, we pay them on top of everything. And we don’t need the DREAM Senator Durbin is weaving to make this offer. It’s in place now and has been for a while.

Despite what the good Senator is saying about why he wants to do this, he knows what I’ve just explained to you. I’ll leave it to you to decide what the real reason is, then, that he’s selling this particular bottle of snake oil.

Thinking that reason will be enough to turn this DREAM into the nightmare we thought we dodged …

Blue Collar Muse

**This was a production of The Coalition Against Illegal Immigration (CAII). If you would like to participate, please go to the above linkto learn more. Afterwards, email Stiknstein and letus know at what level you would like to participate.

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This entry was posted on Monday, September 17th, 2007 at 1:06 pm and is filed under Blogroll, Conservative, Education, Immigration, Individual Responsibility, Politics, Talk Radio, US Military. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.