Editor’s note: David Arredondo is a Lorain resident, very involved in the Lorain community and a highly visible member of the Coalition for Hispanic/Latino Issues & Progress (CHIP). He is the vice chair for the Lorain County Republican Party. He’s often a featured guest on WEOL radio to discuss his work with international students at Lorain County Community College (LCCC) as well as sharing a center-right perspective on political issues. He’s also appeared as a Republican pundit on Feagler & Friends, which airs on the PBS affiliate in Cleveland, WVIZ. Professionally, David Arredondo is the Director of International Student Services at Lorain County Community College.
THE TROJAN HORSE A.K.A. THE DREAM ACT
Talk of the Dream Act should be just that, talk; there is no reason for its passage now as it is constituted. Its passage would be costly and wasteful and continue to exacerbate an immigration system that needs to be replaced, not reformed.
Legalizing a segment of the 12million undocumented persons in this country does not help the process of replacing our current 19th-Century based system predicated on “Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor.” Verily, most of the 12 million here unlawfully may be described as “the tired and poor.” Regardless of the state of our economy, it makes no sense to permanently absorb into our economy these millions who will require massive government assistance.
The Center for Immigration Studies estimates that at minimum under the Dream Act, 1 million will enroll in American colleges with costs of more than $6.2 billion a year. Once again there will be a Federal mandate for the states to provide in-state tuition and financial aid. In states like California, Texas and Arizona, the costs would be even more.
The Dream Act requires an undocumented student to complete at least 2 years of college to earn permanent residency and later citizenship.Those of us in the higher ed industry know that 2 years of studies doesn’t qualify a student for much.
Perhaps the hidden effect that Liberals don’t mention is that once the student qualifies for Permanent Residency, his parents, siblings, and extended family can then apply for the same thing under our current immigration system. Looks like a Trojan Horse to me.
This is all the more reason that the proposed Dream Act must be defeated. This is why we need to replace the current system with one that puts security first and does not provide for Amnesty for the millions “tired and poor” who would be a burden on local, state and federal governments. A new system predicated on residency and citizenship for “the Best and the Brightest” is needed but only after careful study of the needs of our country and economy. “Chain Migration” that allows for one permanent resident to bring entire extended families needs to be eliminated as well.
Democrats are to blame for having the votes to do pass the Act unilaterally and failing to do so these past two years. It does not look likely that the Dream Act or Amnesty will pass anytime soon. However, I could propose a sensible and streamlined act that might.
1. Give all current undocumented children brought here by their parents who are under the age of 26 and give them the opportunity to enlist in America’s armed forces for at least 4 years. At that time they would be eligible for permanent residency and citizenship. In the military they would be trained for a specific occupation that will serve them when they muster out. Their service would make them eligible for the G.I. bill which gives them the opportunity to enroll in university for further education and training.
2. Suspend current immigration law that allows their parents who brought them here illegally from qualifying for Permanent Residency. In short, the only beneficiaries of Dream Act 2.0 law should be those who actually completed their military service.
Over the next several years we need to prioritize our nation’s needs–national security,job creation, economic growth, deficit reduction, and smaller, more efficient government.
Buckeye RINO 