One criticism of the Act is that it would encourage others to come into the country illegally. Probably the best way to gather support for the Act is to include it in immigration reform legislation that proves we are serious about addressing the total problem, including border security. Of course there would have to be solid proof that the applicants did grow up in this country. There also must be a sunset clause to eliminate incentives for more illegal immigration. However, I have no objection to a young person earning citizenship by honorably serving in the military. To those who might say having only one path to citizenship through military service is too limiting, there is a GI Bill which provides substantial college benefits. The link also provides information on Federal and State grants available to veterans.

President Obama would undoubtedly disagree with my suggestion about the need to consider the Dream Act as part of immigration reform. He said in a recent press conference that border security has been improved under his administration, and that issue shouldn’t deter a vote for the Act. The same day I read a New York Times article by James C. Mckinley Jr. in the Denver Post (December 22, 2010, page 7A) titled “Audit: Millions entering U.S. minus proper ID.” The article included the observation that “A year and a half after the federal government strengthened rules on the documents needed to enter the country, millions of people are still being allowed through without passports or…other identification cards…The Inspector General for the Department of Homeland Security estimated…about 3.6 million people a year were still passing through customs without the required documentation, and that half of those were coming through the border crossing in Texas.”