Legalization of Undocumented Students Would Have Economic Benefits, Group Claims

By • 3/03/10 • Categorized as Immigration News,Immigration Reform

(Photo: DreamActivist/Flickr)

(Photo: DreamActivist/Flickr)

The Dream Act, a proposal to legalize undocumented students who entered the U.S. as children, would have direct economic benefits that would “boost the American middle class,” according to a new analysis by a progressive think thank.

The bill, introduced in both houses of Congress last year, would allow immigrant students “to contribute more to the economic prosperity necessary to sustain a strong middle class,” wrote Cristina Jimenez, an immigration policy consultant for the Drum Major Institute, which published the report.

The Dream Act would put some undocumented students on a path to legal residency if they finish high school and attend college or join the military.

This, according to Jimenez, would enable the students to “get higher paying jobs and as a result pay more in taxes.

“A 30 year-old Mexican immigrant woman with a college degree will pay $5,300 more in taxes and cost $3,900 less in government expenses each year compared to a high school dropout with similar characteristics, according to the RAND Corporation.”

Another effect the bill would have, according to the study, would be to bring undocumented immigrants out of the underground economy on which they depend for work, goods and services.

“Research suggests that unauthorized immigrant workers routinely face violations of minimum wage, overtime and workplace safety laws – and that the exploitation of immigrants goes hand-in-hand with an atmosphere in which citizens are also taken advantage of on the job,” Jimenez wrote.

The students’ integration in the mainstream American economy would also help bridge the gap their families face in this regard, the study said.

“The students affected by the legislation grew up in the United States, attended our schools, speak English, adopted American values and traditions, and know this country as their home. They often have siblings and other close relatives who are U.S. citizens. Continuing to marginalize these deeply rooted young people cuts a permanent segment of our population off from the American Dream.”

Students who are pushing for passage of the legislation last week held a series of nationwide events to promote their cause.

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    • Edie

      Who are you kidding. What is the rest of the famly going to cost us?

    • Jane Harker

      Really? And what about when they bring all their relatives in? And what about when other illegal aliens see that bringing illegal alien children here is an effective way of ultimately getting legalized themselves? The DREAM act needs to remain a dream before illegal aliens make America a THIRD WORLD NIGHTMARE!

    • http://magyart@yahoo.com magyart

      Citizenship is too valuable to give away like with pass or coupon. Let them become leagl first. Let them earn citizenship. To merely pass it out is a diservice to people that have sarificed their life for this country.

      I fail to understand what these young adults have done to EARN citizenship.

      They can easily gain a higher education in their homeland and work toward immigration and citizenship in the USA. They could study international studies.

    • Ozlanthos

      I posted this on a message board for a local paper, but I feel the ramifications for “all” schools in America are the same, so here it is.

      “These are folks who are valedictorians, and it’s more than 60,000 students a year who get denied access to higher education because of their status,” said UO student Diego Hernande

      These are also folks who have NO LEGAL RIGHT TO ANYTHING BUT A JAIL CELL AND DEPORTATION HERE!!! If you are an “undocumented” person from another country, you are here ILLEGALLY!!! For those of you who don’t recognize it, the DREAM act is meant to be used as an end-run to AMNESTY for ILLEGAL ALIENS!!! Like we don’t give illegals enough opportunities to use and abuse social programs paid for with federal and state taxes from LEGAL CITIZENS, now we have to give them free college too?

      “Hernandez argues these students already live in the United States, so why not help them become doctors and lawyers.” Hmmm, hows about, if they want to become lawyers and doctors, maybe they should go to college in THEIR COUNTRY OF ORIGIN? Why should we be made to pay for them to do it here when our resources are as tapped as they are now? We just passed 66 & 67 and the schools are still going to be underfunded. How is “giving” higher ed to illegals who will most likely A) Move back to their country of origin after they get their degree, and B) refuse to pay any bill they may have left unpaid after graduating, going to help our state economy?

      Being from LA, I have seen this game before. The end result will be illegals displacing people who have a LEGAL RIGHT to be in the seats of American schools, and an influx and concentration of illegal aliens trying to game yet another “something for nothing” from the hard-working people of America. I don’t care what caveats and exceptions are made in the text to keep people from gaming the system, this legislation in and of itself is meant to game our current immigration laws. As such, I feel that it will be abused (by design) at significant cost to the American people.

      Oh and for those of you attending or staffing U of O who are in favor of this legislation: Next time you and your friends go to lunch, how about I ( a non-student) come along with you, order the most expensive meal (with appetizer and “several” drinks) eat the meal, then skip out without paying the bill? That is what you are going to allow illegals to do to our schools if this legislation passes.

      -Oz

    • WolmfanTM

      There students that are just waitning an opportunity like this that want to be part of america too that want to contribute to that want to have a voice in this country.
      what happen with ” the kids are the future of the world” what happen to that? i think they deserve a chance
      who knows maybe one of those illegal students could be the future of the united states or could do something really important, they just want a chance i think they should get theier chance.. some people are saying that they would probably just ruin the economy but look at how the economy is right now and it wasnt because of the illegal people it was just the americans that caused this..

    • Illegal Reporter

      lol…Are we actually expected to believe that?

    • Ivor Tregenza

      There are not enough jobs for current American college graduates. Liberals want to add a whole bunch of illegals to the college rolls to freeze more American graduates out of the job market.. This would also have the effect of reducing starting salaries for graduates.

      All of this nonsence is coming about because Congress and the President have long ago lost control of our borders. A nation that cannot control its borders will not sruvive.

    • Tania

      wow! some of you are ridiculous and nieve about how these people live and what they can do for the economy. How can you judge when you are not in their sitiuation. It takes years just get an application for residency. Ozlanthos- Most of these kids were brought by their parents when they were to young to even make a decision. Many of these kids do not even know the language from their original countries, how do you expect them to become doctors and lawyers in their countries? oh and that last remark about the food thing, EVERYONE does that. There is no need to point fingers at a whole group for the action of one. Ivor – How can you say that helping these students out will freeze others out of the job market. I think you are just scared of competition. Anyone can get an interview but only an individual will know how to stick out from the rest in order to get that job.

    • JOSH SIMONIS

      i actually think that this act that is being debated is a very good idea, not only is it not the fault of these students being here its not right to deny them a good education. i am a citizen and guess wat :) , im white :) . :) , poeple who are scared that this legalization for students will pass or think that it is bad are just scared that their kids might not be smart enough to make it into college if there kids want to make it in they should work hard, theres nothing bad in overachieving ;) ,dont be lazy, or plain out there racist, wouldnt surprise me. but when you view it from the bigger picture this is actually a great thing, filtering out those that really want to learn in their area of study will allow this country to grow from the hard work of those that study hard, and i mean study HARD not that average american 1hour of homework and im done bullcrap, im saying Advance course NHS and NTHS, high honors studies anything less might as well not go to college. without knowledge and technology this country would wither away, and if you step out of the world in front of you and view the big picture our country is slowly falling behind. This act if passed will be like an adrenaline rush that this country needs to keep its place as the country that other countries looks up to as an example for their own. this is just like an example of Darwin’s law, the week will fall while the most prepared will prosper. this country is now being handed down to the next generation the and tho the previous generation ( the boomers) was vary successful, some of there ideas no longer have a place in the new age of the world they have crippled our the country that we are to inherit, the next generation sees this and we are prepared to take it off there hands we are the next generation, we are more flexible to changing times and believes, we have a more open mind view of the world. we are Generation “WE”. together we will put of nation back on the top and better then before.

    • JOSH SIMONIS

      we can’t let other countries just pass us by, such as China who is not far behind, Japan, heck the list goes on. Our place as the leading nation in the world is no longer secure.

    • JOSH SIMONIS

      As i read the comments before mine, it pains of how and unconstitutional, un-american mind set the nation has developed. it hurts to think that our ignorance as a nation will be the cause of our end. As other countries quickly pass us in power. America in an academic view is under achieve :( , but hey at least we over achieve in in one area, Confidence. lets see how far that takes us.

    • Ram

      Jane Harker..first we should research the law and then we should publish our opinion…which will be based on facts and not generalizations. First, when the law takes places there will be a specific date for those who qualify, this means that if the kids that come later than this specific date won’t qualify, and if these students bring their relatives they won’t qualify because they should have entered the US before they were 15 ..and most of these students don’t have kids in other countries, because they were raised in the US!!!! and probably they will have a family in their home..the United Stated of America.

    • Margarita

      i dont know why people talk about something they have no idea what so ever of the situation immigrants go trough. If you are not a Native American you have no right to be here either because your family at some point of time as well went throught what immigrants are going through. if it weren’t have being for them none of you would be here right now or would of being born here.taking the way all of you are. You would be going through the same thing current illegal immigrants are.

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    • Marina Leenger

      this country has been and will always be an IMMIGRANT COUNTRY!!