The Senate Immigration Bill Rewards Lawbreaking: Why the Dream Act is a Nightmare

Heritage Foundation Backgrounder, No. 1960, August 14, 2006

5 Pages Posted: 27 Feb 2008

See all articles by Kris W. Kobach

Kris W. Kobach

University of Missouri at Kansas City - School of Law

Abstract

The Senate's immigration reform bill's DREAM Act repeals federal law that prohibits any state from offering in-state tuition rates to illegal aliens unless the state also offers in-state tuition rates to all U.S. citizens. The DREAM Act would retroactively change federal law to pardon ten states which have enacted laws in violation of that policy. This Backgrounder argues that allowing in-state tuition for illegal aliens encourages the violation of federal immigration law and is unfair to legal aliens and out-of state U.S. citizens. It shows how the DREAM Act would create another type of amnesty for illegal aliens who entered the country before the age of 16 and concludes that the Rule of Law can be fully restored only if all levels of government are working to uphold it.

Keywords: Immigration, Immigrant, Alien, Illegal Alien Development Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, DREAM Act, Permanent resident, Green card, Citizenship, Amnesty, In-state tuition, IIRIRA, Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act, Education policy

JEL Classification: H71, H72, H77, I20, K22, K28, J61, J68, K10, K42

Suggested Citation

Kobach, Kris W., The Senate Immigration Bill Rewards Lawbreaking: Why the Dream Act is a Nightmare. Heritage Foundation Backgrounder, No. 1960, August 14, 2006, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1098880

Kris W. Kobach (Contact Author)

University of Missouri at Kansas City - School of Law ( email )

5100 Rockhill Road
Kansas City, MO 64110-2499
United States

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