Baloney. They are lawbreakers along with their parents. Both should be deported. Are you saying that all children who entered this country under the age of 18 or 21 should be allowed to stay here? Can you imagine what kind of message that sends to the rest of the world? And many of these children who would be eligible for the Dream Act could be up to age 35. Once they reach age 21, they can sponsor their parents, grandparents, siblings, wives, etc. as legal immigrants under chain migration, i.e., family reunification.
If they choose NOT to volunteer and serve, then permanent residency is the maximum they should get, but some degree of compassion is needed for their plight.
That is an amnesty. Plight? Most have hit the lottery. Free education, health care, and life in a developed country all at the US taxpayer expense. There is no reason that a "child" who was brought here at 15 can't go back to his/her home country. They should be deported along with their parents.
I have been active in a grassroots immigration group for the past 5 years. We lobby at the federal and state level. I have testified before legislators on the immigration issue. The Dream Act was part of the McCain-Kennedy amnesty bill in 2007. It is a cynical attempt to get amensty for up to 3 million people using the US military and college as pegs to convince the public to side emotionally with illegal aliens. It has been effective since the Dems always use the children as an excuse to push their agenda. Don't fall for it. When you reward something you get more of it.
If the Dream Act was really about compassion then it would include children who do not attend college or serve in the military. The Left knows that the only way they can get some semblance of public support is to create a special class of "deserving children," college graduates and those willing to serve in the US military.
I "would" send their lawbreaker parents back to the "old home country", though. If the kiddies choose to stay or go along with the folks, I'm fine with either choice.
It should be our choice, not theirs. And if we followed your prescription, the parents would be right back here as legal immigrants sponsored by their children. And more than likely many more family members would come as well.
This phony concern for the illegal alien children is misplaced and dangerous. Let's secure our borders, track down and deport visa overstays, and enforce our existing laws.
\ True. But the parents made a delilberate choice to break the law. The kids did not.
"Both should be deported."
I disagree. "If" the kids have kept their noses clean, learned English, and show good character otherwise, let'em stay as permanent residents. Gangbangers, juvenile delinquents, etc....give'me the boot.
"Are you saying that all children who entered this country under the age of 18 or 21 should be allowed to stay here?"
See above.
"Can you imagine what kind of message that sends to the rest of the world?
Depends on how the law is written and enforced. The simple approach is for there to be a cutoff date/time to which the amnesty (and yes, it "is" an amnesty, and one with which I happen to agree) will not apply.
"And many of these children who would be eligible for the Dream Act could be up to age 35. Once they reach age 21, they can sponsor their parents, grandparents, siblings, wives, etc. as legal immigrants under chain migration, i.e., family reunification."
I'm not talking about the "Dream Act". Again, the simple approach is that all of those goodies DO NOT APPLY to those who will get permanent residency (OR citizenship in the case of military service).
"Free education, health care, and life in a developed country all at the US taxpayer expense.
See my point about "getting an education",etc. Prospective GOOD citizens/residents will have jobs and pay their way.
"There is no reason that a "child" who was brought here at 15 can't go back to his/her home country."
I think I can agree with that. But again, the simple approach is to set a maximum age above which the law does not apply. I think a good cutoff would be "pre-school" age.
As to the rest of your diatribe, I can only say that I'm NOT talking about the "Dream Act", but a hypothetical different piece of legislation that avoids the problems of same and still allows a degree of compassion for honest, hardworking kids brought here without their consent.