Social Justice and alternative aid

How does the DREAM Act relate to social justice?

The DREAM Act is a form of transformative justice. It is a small step towards systematic change. A much bigger step would be to find a way to remove the systematic effects of globalization that provide economic and political motives for people to enter the U.S. illegally or overstay their visas, bringing their children with them. Suggestions for accomplishing this are complicated and in many cases unrealistic. The DREAM Act, on the other hand, offers some relief and hope to undocumented students in this situation. It is the ONLY hope for undocumented students to remain in the United States and gain legal status to be eligible for some forms of federal financial aid for higher education and eventually legal employment.

Without the DREAM Act, undocumented students may still pursue higher education. Washington State passed H.B. 1079 in 2003 which allows undocumented students to qualify for in-state tuition rates by signing an affidavit stating they have lived in the state for at least three years prior to graduating high school or earning a GED. About 10 other states have similar laws.