Gutting the DREAM Act
 

CHICAGO — During one of the Republican debates in Florida, Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney agreed that the only way they’d support the DREAM Act is to take out the educational component.

Coincidentally, the day after the candidates introduced the idea of a path to citizenship for hundreds of thousands of young illegal immigrants only if they serve in the military, Rep. David Rivera, R-Fla., submitted the Adjusted Residency for Military Service (ARMS) Act to the House.

Immigrant advocates across the country have rejected as unfair the premise that illegal immigrant youth should have no alternative other than to put their lives on the line in order to gain citizenship.

What’s really unfair is that such a program would not provide a legitimate pathway for a large proportion of the young immigrants who want the opportunity—and it could have a negative impact on our armed forces.

“Rivera’s bill is a cruel joke,” said Margaret Stock, an Alaska-based immigration lawyer, former professor at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and supporter of the full DREAM Act. “Rivera gives them nine months to enlist, and the only thing I can think of is that he doesn’t know anything about the military cycle.”

Stock told me that an eligible immigrant would have to be extremely lucky to meet the requirements—maintain residence for the past five consecutive years, show intent to enlist in a branch of the U.S. Armed Forces and demonstrate “good moral conduct”—and then actually get into the military.

“On Oct. 1, a whole bunch of slots are available, but it depends on the economy—when it’s bad, there are fewer and they fill up right away. For instance, right now there are no slots left in the Army until next October,” Stock told me. “People are going to pay a ton of money to U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services in upfront fees and adjustment of status fees, have nine months to get enlisted and then once that time runs out and they’ve failed to enlist because there aren’t any slots, they’ll become illegal immigrants again.”

Stock explained that in addition to the high demand for military openings and the expected drawdown of troops, few positions are available to noncitizens due to national security considerations.

“Potentially hundreds of thousands of people will want to try to enlist, but the jobs they’ll be able to do will be low-class jobs. The numbers don’t match up. The U.S. Army, let alone the Navy, Air Force or Marine Corps, don’t need an unlimited supply of people without citizenship,” she said.

Then there are the physical and cultural aspects to joining the military.

Stock notes that a person needs to be in excellent physical and mental condition to be accepted into the military. This brings up the question of what portion of these young people would be fit to serve—many of them have grown up in poverty and, if they are Latino, are likelier than others to be overweight and have respiratory medical conditions or emotional issues due to the stress of living in the country illegally during a time of high deportations.

And would Latino parents, with strict ideas about traditional female roles, even let their daughters try to enlist?

But most alarming is that such an opportunity—while it might be welcome to those willing to do nearly anything for a chance at citizenship—would fundamentally challenge the notion of the volunteer military.

“It turns the concept of an all-volunteer force on its head,” said Stock. “This would be sort of a return to a draft for desperate people who don’t have any other options. If you run the numbers, those paying for the privilege of joining the military will essentially be playing the lottery. It might be a funnel for a very few, very lucky people who will get to enlist, but it would create chaos and a lot of heartbreak.”

A military-only DREAM Act might seem reasonable on its face, but the details sound more like a nightmarish bait-and-switch for desperate young people. It’s an idea that has been considered and rejected before—it should be left for dead once again.

http://gazettextra.com/news/2012/feb...ing-dream-act/

Re: Gutting the DREAM Act
 

The stuff before the bolded part made sense. I understand those concerns, and they are valid. But, the part I bolded offends the hell out of me. After all the crazy, wild shit that I have been through as an undocumented student, making it through a branch of the military would not be a damn problem. It would be like going to Disneyland. Is this lady fucking kidding me? The way I look at: being undocumented has really strenghtened my mentality and made me a stronger person overall. If you can make it through more than 15 years as undocumented immigrant in the US, you can make it through the damn military.

Come on now. There are dumb white pieces of fat shit that make it through the military. If they can make it, we can too. I am fucken offended by what she said.

Re: Gutting the DREAM Act
 

This brings me to another question: how many Americans join the military not because they were born with their d**k in one hand and an M-16 in another but because of the benefits (e.g. money for college; they cannot get a job; they don't want to go to college, so they join the military to make their parents proud)?

I think it is safe to say that more than 50%.

Re: Gutting the DREAM Act
 

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Re: Gutting the DREAM Act
 

Hewlett, I totally agree with you on the many flaws of the bill. Like you, I was not aware of the time frame issue and the fact that the military does not have a policy of unlimited enlistment. I am also disturbed by the fact that the bill would not offer a path to legalization for those who have the courage to enlist but would be disqualified due to medically diagnosed health conditions. For all I know, I might have some health condition that I am not unaware of and might disqualify me should the bill pass. I think the bill should pass if it presents solutions to these issues/flaws.

However, I am totally against the idea that the bill should not pass because it does not include the education element. I am about to graduate from college, and my ass would not mind enlisting. A military option to legalization is an opportunity, which we would be up to you to decide if you want to take advantage of. If you don't, I am sorry. If you do, good.

MOREOVER, you could go to college after serving. I hate it when DREAMERS on TV say that the ARMS Act would not allow undocumented students to become lawyers, engineers, etc. You could do that after service. A good friend of mine is a Marine, and he graduated two years ago.

I swear. Journalists seem to interview the whiniest little fuckers. And, I mean no disrespect to you Hewlett. For example, I have heard DREAMERS IN FUCKING CALIFORNIA . . .guys . . .CALIFORNIA!!!!!!! say that they cannot go to college because they are undocumented. Then, what the fuck does that make me ?. . .Lawrence of Arabia? Of course, if you live in states where you have to pay out of state tuition, that's a whole different story.

Re: Gutting the DREAM Act
 

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Re: Gutting the DREAM Act
 

Exactly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

However, i am also a little disturbed that there isn't unlimited enlistment slots. I guess i'd just take any job slot available, since i'd be going to college after i'm done with it anyways. As for recruits having to be in "excellent physical and mental condition." - I'm guessing you can't be obese or a retard. I've checked the enlistment requirements, and they are pretty low for signing up, if you can't pass the physical requirements (pushups, situps, and 1-mile run), i believe they put you in "fat camp" until you meet the minimum standards to start boot camp.

Re: Gutting the DREAM Act
 

Agreed with H3wlett.

The one thing that bothers me quite profusely is the fact that this bill would continue to encourage the idea that the poor and the broken go to the military while much more "privileged" folks stay at home. The bill is purely politically motivated, that I understand, but the same civil injustice reflects quite well to the enlistment during the Vietnam war.

Re: Gutting the DREAM Act
 

"We should not be made to return to our home countries, or apply to college or enlist in the military"


If we wait for a bill that aims to do this, we are litterally screwed. I agree with you. But, it's just not politically possible--atleast now.


Whatever guys. Whatever happens, happens. You have your views. I have mine. Only time will reveal what will happen.

Re: Gutting the DREAM Act
 

Consider the Coast Guard.