NewYork To Pass DreamAct and Also Grant DL To Dreamer

Albany Expected To Pass Agenda That Includes Dream Act

Latino students petition Rhode Island's state legislature to offer them tuition assistance and a Dream Act of their own (AP)

New York State is poised to pass a legislative agenda that focuses on granting illegal immigrants access to financial assistance for public universities, a step that California took a few days ago. John King Jr., the state's education commissioner to the Board of Regents, tells the Times that, "It's about making sure that students are able to fulfill their aspirations after their graduate from high school." New York allows undocumented immigrants to pay in-state tuition, but the move is part of a larger strategy to lobby Congress to pass a version of the Dream Act, which would give students who completed two years of college or military service a path to citizenship.

Legislation that assists illegal immigrants in accessing state services has been referred to as a "magnet" by critics of immigration reform and indeed the 2012 GOP presidential field. "This amounts to a much broader amnesty than the New York State Board of Regents wants to portray it," a spokesman for the Federation of American Immigration Reform. Ironically, the group called "FAIR" supported Alabama's recently passed immigration law that allows for the wholesale discrimination against Latinos. The law has been denounced by a contingent of the state's clergy.

Proponents for New York's education agenda say that in addition to assisting immigrants with tuition, an ideal bill would also allow them to have driver's licenses, something Eliot Spitzer failed at getting through the legislature in 2007. "These people are going to be citizens of this country some day, and we need to prepare them for a life of independence," Dr. Merryl Tisch, the Board of Regents' Chancellor says.

For an excellent primer on how the Obama administration is moving away from its promises to pass comprehensive immigration reform as it ramps up deportations, see Frontline's documentary Lost In Detention.

http://gothamist.com/2011/10/22/alba...genda_that.php

If this happens I'm moving to NY right away.

You'll probably need to have lived in NY for a number of years in order to be eligible.

What about Driver's licenses? I'm guessing they'll be like Washington and NM?

I agree, if they really want this to pass they would make it a requirement to have lived in NY for an amount of years. Otherwise they'll call it a "magnet" to new immigrants or whatever. I heard about this NY dream act back in April but havent heard anything about it recently. Let's hope it's not all talk.

holy crap....you guys beat me to posting this article.
Let's hope for the best...if any dreamer needs a place to stay, I got a spare bedroom
That's IF it passes << cynical

i need this to pass so badly!!!

hi, future roomie

I wish they would welcome influx of dreamers from any state.

oh and just when i was getting ready to leave another roller coasterrrr