What is the DREAM Act?

The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act or American DREAM Act are both attributed to legislation which grants undocumented students who have grown up in the United States, studied hard and stayed out of trouble, an opportunity to gain temporary legal residency. In the U.S. Senate, the bill is known as S. 729, and in the House of Representatives, H.R.1751.

To be eligible, students must:

• Have lived in the U.S. for at least 5 years
  
• Have been brought to the U.S. before the age of 16
• Be of good moral character (a legal status meaning they have not committed any of a long list of crimes)

Once granted temporary legal residency, students have six years to:

• Graduate from a two-year college or
• Complete two years towards a four-year degree or
• Serve in the U.S. military for two years

Upon completion of one of the three above specifications, students are eligible to apply for permanent legal residency (and citizenship).

For more information, visit Latino/a Educational Achievement Project's FAQ:
http://www.leapwa.org/dream_faqs.htm

Or Wikipedia's entry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DREAM_Act