Hi, I am a new supporter of the DREAM act, I had not heard of it before the Obama campaign though I live in California.

I have been trying to find out if anyone has done any sort of cost analyzes on how much money and productivity is being lost by having all these educated people not working.

I find its easy to convince even the most anti-immigration people that the DREAM act is good when I point out that it will allow people we have already paid for who are here anyhow to work and pay taxes and help the country. The people who are anti-immigration tend to be anti-tax, etc because they really care about money. To get through to these people, using a financial appeal would work better than an emotional one.

It would be a good way to get through to the republican senators too.

If good numbers don't exist, perhaps someone here can find a reputed economist to produce them. I have no idea how they are done. But I"m sure its possible with reasonable estimates of the number and education of people who aren't working because they don't have papers.