CLASS DISMISSED: DREAM Act an asset to Florida universities

By: Jasmyn Elliott/ Columnist

On Oct. 8, California Governor Jerry Brown made the second half of the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act a reality. It is time for Florida to do the same.

Upon approving the second half, The California DREAM Act grants eligibility to illegal immigrants for state-funded financial aid, in addition to private scholarships to finance their college education. I believe that this is a step toward educational and economic progress, especially in Florida.

Jasmyn Elliott / Columnist

The benefits of passing a similar act in Florida are immense. It is no secret that Florida, particularly Miami, is a stomping ground for many illegal immigrants, many of them with young children already incorporated into our public schools.

In Florida, according to a report done by Students Working for Equal Rights, “Each year about 5,000 undocumented students graduate from Florida high schools, but only 5% go on to college, compared with 75% of our high school classmates.”

As of now, 2,500 international students attend the University, according to International Students and Scholar Services. If the DREAM Act were passed in Florida, imagine how many more international students would be able to contribute to our University.

Having already been educated as an American student, it would be the natural next step to allow them to further their education in our colleges and universities. By requiring these students to establish citizenship on their own, rather than handing it to them with a check, it allows them to gain an education while putting in the necessary work to achieve legal status.

Besides, the California DREAM Act, and others like it, is not without its stipulations. To be eligible for the benefits, aside from meeting financial and academic standards, the recipient must have entered the state before the age of 16, attended a California high school for at least three years, lived in the United States for at least five years and must be currently seeking to legalize their immigrant status.

These requirements are fair, as it puts the impetus on legalization on the immigrant and is not an automatic gateway to citizenship.
Also, by allowing undocumented students access to a college education, this could be the additional boost we need to get the economy back up to speed. As stated by student Ting Yang in a Student

Media report: on the DREAM Act, published on Sept. 23, “I wish I could have had them support me in college and maybe realize I could be an asset to their country.  I want to give to them if they will just help give to me.” Aside from entering the workforce, these formerly undocumented students, upon achieving citizenship, could easily establish businesses, firms and corporations of their own, thus creating jobs and putting new products out on the market.

Additionally, these students may indeed go back to their home country and use their education to improve economic conditions back home so they too can make moves in the global economy. This would also alleviate the presence of undocumented workers, which has put a strain on the U.S. economy for quite some time.

Illegal immigration may be a thorn in the side of many policy makers, but building bigger fences is not always the answer. Provided they meet the aforementioned requirements, giving undocumented students the tools they need to acquire an American education could benefit the entire world. California sees this; now it is Florida’s turn.

“Class Dismissed” is a biweekly column critiquing education in America.