| One of the many changes President Obama has | | | | must have been in the United States for at least |
| promised America is immigration law reform. | | | | five years without interruption. The individual must |
| Many ideas have been discussed. One of them is | | | | also demonstrate the ability to speak English. |
| the DREAM Act, sponsored by Senator Lugar | | | | Conditional residents under the DREAM Act will be |
| from Indiana and Senator Durbin from Illinois, | | | | eligible for private loans to fund their education, |
| among others. The basic idea is to allow certain | | | | but will not be eligible for Pell grants. Under the |
| illegal immigrants who were brought here by their | | | | DREAM Act, 65,000 students could become |
| parents at a young age and who have been | | | | conditional residents each year, and eventually |
| educated in American schools to become | | | | become permanent residents and citizens if they |
| permanent residents. | | | | comply with current immigration rules and |
| Under the DREAM Act, certain undocumented | | | | regulations. |
| individuals could become legal residents. The first | | | | One of the ideas behind the DREAM Act is to |
| step in this process is for the individual to enroll in | | | | better utilize the taxpayer dollars that are being |
| some type of higher education, such as a | | | | used to educate illegal immigrant youth in public |
| university, vocational school, or apprenticeship | | | | schools across the country. If these youth are |
| program. Another option is to enroll in the U.S. | | | | willing to continue their education through additional |
| military. If certain requirements are met, this | | | | schooling or through the military, they would be |
| person may apply for conditional residency in the | | | | allowed to become a legal part of our society |
| U.S. Upon receipt of an associates degree or a | | | | without the fear of losing their families through |
| 2-year equivalent within six years of the initial | | | | deportation. In addition, the DREAM Act initially |
| petition, the conditional status can be changed and | | | | only benefits those who most likely were taken |
| the individual can become a legal permanent | | | | across the border by their parents through no |
| resident of the United States. | | | | decision of their own. Many of these individuals |
| To be eligible for permanent residency under the | | | | have spent more years illegally in the United |
| DREAM Act, the individual must have entered the | | | | States than in their home countries. |
| United States before turning 16 years of age and | | | | |