To me, it seems that most of the people here are not looking for and do not expect a place in front of the legalization line. More of you are looking for a chance to rectify your situation and simply, for lack of better words, make your dreams come true. I personally would have liked to see the DREAM Act be a little more lenient, but we all know it does not stand a chance of passing both the house and the senate in its current version. I propose the following changes. Keep in mind that while the language sound harsh and excluding, it must be done to prevent the "amnesty" label from being applied.
First, change the name from DREAM (implying legalization and path to citizenship) to "Chance", which implies that this is a one chance opportunity for children to do whatever they can to amend their status. This shows that you are not receiving a express path to citizenship in front of all other applicants nor are you receiving any kind of "Amnesty".
The United States is currently desperate for skilled workers in many categories. With economies in Asia heating up, there is a serious shortage in the US. In Europe, introduction of an easier and more inviting guest worker program has even more severely limited the pool of workers. The United States is heading towards losing millions of workers to Europe and Asia in the near future if it does not act fast. Also, it works out since both houses of Congress are trying to expand the H-1 visa program this year, as Senator Durbin noted in his most recent speech to the Senate.
Here it goes:
Chance Act
1.First, make the application process far more stringent. Applicants must:
a. Provide documented proof that he/she has resided continually inside the US for a period of five years before this law was enacted;
b. Prove that they entered the United States before the age of thirteen;
c. have had continually resided and have been physically present inside the United States since then;
d. have obtained at least a Bachelors Degree from an accredited college or University inside the US and have completed 250 hours of community service, or have served two years in the armed forces of the United States;
e. Be of good moral character, meaning: applicant has never been convicted of a felony or a total of three misdemeanors, applicant has letter of clearance from local law enforcement;
f. pay a fine not to exceed $1000;
g. submit his/her application no later than one year after this law is enacted;
f. applicants found to be associated with, aiding, or tampering with the investigation of any known gang affiliate or street gang will be permanently barred from applying under this or any other category;


2. The six year conditional residence must be changed to a five year, non-renewable visa under which the alien is:

(A) allowed to:
a.obtain a Social Security number
b.work legally and pay all applicable taxes;
c. obtain a drivers license from his/her native state;
d. attend an institution of higher learning;
e. apply for Adjustment of immigration status through any other current available category (business, employment based, religious worker, marriage visa, etc.), provided that applicant provides all necessary documents to prove he/she is applicable under this category and receives a place in line behind other qualified applicants
(B) cannot:
a. apply for or receive a traveling document authorizing travel outside of the US;
b. sponsor additional family members to enter the US or adjust the immigration status of family members already in the US;
d. cannot apply for or receive an extension of the five year visa, unless applicant can prove that denial of this will provide extreme hardship to a US citizen, under which the visa is renewable for only a period not exceeding one year
(C) must:
a. Provide USCIS a permanent address at which the applicant resides;
b. provide USCIS with documentation, at yearly intervals, proving applicant is: paying all applicable taxes (if alien is employed), attending an institute of higher learning, enrolled with the Armed Forces, have refrained from activities prohibited under US law, is not becoming a burden on state unemployment services or police agencies;

3. After the expiration of the five year visa and any extensions made to it by the USCIS, the applicant fails to rectify his/her immigration status, then:
a. applicant is an illegal alien subject to deportation.

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