DREAMer 101 - What you Should Know

This thread is for things that you should know about your situation.

First of all, please carefully read the FAQ thread first for the obvious


1) After HannibalSmith put up this post, I realized how few of you realize that you're not criminals. REPEAT, we are not criminals. They do not charge us with the crime but do make us pay for it.

Overstaying your visa or crossing the border as a child is not a criminal act. It is not even a misdemeanor, let alone a felony as our opponents like to lie about. It is a civil matter.

We didn't do anything wrong and the U.S. government realizes it but feels no qualms about making us pay for the actions of others. That is why the DREAM Act exists.

You can be put into immigration jails (yes, they do put innocent children in jail in this country) ever hear of Hutto? There are innocent 7 year olds sitting in jails right now. Very few people care about immigrant kids and the sooner you learn that, the better off you are.

2) Current Senators and who have co-sponsored DREAM in the past.

01. Sen Akaka, Daniel K. [HI]
02. Sen Bayh, Evan [IN]
03. Sen Biden, Joseph R., Jr. [DE]
04. Sen Bingaman, Jeff [NM]
05. Sen Boxer, Barbara [CA]
06. Sen Brownback, Sam [KS]
07. Sen Cantwell, Maria [WA]
08. Sen Carper, Thomas R. [DE]
09. Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY]
10. Sen Coleman, Norm [MN]
11. Sen Collins, Susan M. [ME]
12. Sen Craig, Larry E. [ID]
13. Sen Crapo, Mike [ID]
14. Sen Dodd, Christopher J. [CT]
15. Sen Domenici, Pete V.
16. Sen Durbin, Richard [IL]
17. Sen Feingold, Russell D. [WI]
18. Sen Feinstein, Dianne [CA]
19. Sen Grassley, Chuck [IA] voted for it in committee
20. Sen Hagel, Chuck [NE]
21. Sen Harkin, Tom [IA]
22. Sen Kennedy, Edward M. [MA]
23. Sen Kerry, John F. [MA]
24. Sen Kohl, Herb [WI]
25. Sen Landrieu, Mary L. [LA]
26. Sen Lautenberg, Frank R. [NJ]
27. Sen Leahy, Patrick J. [VT]
28. Sen Levin, Carl [MI]
29. Sen Lieberman, Joseph I. [CT]
30. Sen Lincoln, Blanche L. [AR]
31. Sen Lugar, Richard G. [IN]
32. Sen McCain, John [AZ]
33. Sen Menendez, Robert [NJ]
34. Sen Mikulski, Barbara A. [MD]
35. Sen Murray, Patty [WA]
36. Sen Nelson, Bill [FL]
37. Sen Nelson, E. Benjamin [NE]
38. Sen Obama, Barack [IL]
39. Sen Pryor, Mark L. [AR]
40. Sen Reed, Jack [RI]
41. Sen Reid, Harry [NV]
42. Sen Sanders, Bernard [VT]
43. Sen Schumer, Charles E. [NY]
44. Sen Specter, Arlen [PA]
45. Sen Whitehouse, Sheldon [RI]

Senators who have not co-sponsored DREAM but voted for it last fall.

01. Sen. Bennett [UT]
02. Sen. Brown [OH]
03. Sen. Cardin [MD]
04. Sen. Casey [PA]
05. Sen. Hutchison [TX]
06. Sen. Inouye [HI]
07. Sen. Johnson [SD]
08. Sen. Klobuchar [MN]
09. Sen. Martinez [FL]
10. Sen. Rockefeller [WV]
11. Sen. Salazar [CO]
12. Sen. Snowe [ME]
13. Sen. Webb [VA]
14. Sen. Whitehouse [RI]
15. Sen. Wyden [OR]

Senator Trent Lott of Mississippi he voted for DREAM but he has since left the Senate


Senators Who did not vote for DREAM last fall or co-sponsor it but voted for it in committee in a previous session of congress.
01. Sen. Kyl, Jon [AZ]
02. Sen. Cornyn, John [TX]

People who support CIR but not DREAM

More to come later, too tired now

oh cool, I always thought I was a felon. Like hardcore gansta felon I guess I am not so G after all. But really I always thought it was felony to overstay visa hence the 10 year ban, so it's just a civil disobedience? Hmm good to know

Good to know. It's just basic sense, I mean how can someone punish a kid who doesn't really know what's going on at age 3?

That is really good to know

A lot of you are getting scammed by lawyers in this area so I did some research and this is what I found.

If you overstayed your visa (aka entered legally ) and DON'T fall under 245i, what are your options of adjusting? ( Also, make sure you don't have a deportation order against you)

1) If you have a citizen parent AND are under 21, you can adjust.

2) If you are married to a citizen

3) If you have a citizen child age 21 or over.


You CANNOT adjust in the country if you are over 21 and your parent is a US citizen. You will have to leave the US and then live out the 10 year ban.


You CANNOT adjust in the country if your citizen sibling sponsors you. You will have to leave the US and then live out the 10 year ban.


I am not a lawyer so consult with one but there had been a lot of confusion lately. I know it sounds unfair that our parents can adjust when one of our siblings becomes a citizen or even turns 21 and we can't but that's just how it is.

OH this is real good to know i me and my dad thought it was at 16, but still hes not citizen. He was planning on asking a uncle if he could adopt me but i think that has to be before your 16 am I right?

Frankko, we've been though this before several times.

The rules are different with adoptive parents and stepparents. It is age 16 for adoptive parents.

Thanks for posting this!!!

Thanks.....for the break down!!!!!!!!!!! ......gives hope to many of us........!!!!!!!!!!