Illinois democratic senator Richard Durbin reintroduced the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act or the DREAM Act to the senate on May 11. This bill seeks to legalize persons who arrived to America illegally as minors. First introduced in 2001 it has continually failed to get support. It was re introduced this year after president Obama called for immigration reform and reaffirmed his commitment to the Dream Act in a speech given in Texas. .
To be eligible to apply an applicant should be between the ages of 12 and 35 and should have been under fifteen years of age at the time of arrival in the US and must also prove that they have continuously lived in the USA for the past 5 years.
They also have to fulfill within a six year period one of the following requirements:
Serve two years in the US military with honorable discharge; have graduated from a US high school, have obtained a GED or have been accepted to a higher education institution.
The Dream Act and immigration reform will take centre stage in the upcoming election campaigns.
