Free Dream Act Argumentative Essay Example

Many laws, bills, and acts are up for debate within the United States government. Some of them seem to be of less benefit to the American people than others. There are times, however, when one is presented that appear to benefit the majority of people it would affect. One such proposal is known as the DREAM Act, otherwise called the Development, Relief, and Education of Alien Minors Act. It proposes many things, though its primary draw would be to grant permanent residency to immigrants who meet certain criteria. Those who represent decent moral character, arrived in the United States as minors, and have graduated from the United States public education system would be considered for this benefit. While some remain unconvinced about the importance of this act, there are reasons it is important, as well as many things an individual could to support the act as a solution.
There are many people in the United States who stand in strong opposition with allowing anybody labeled as a foreigner to live in the U.S. without, “paying their dues”, according to William Kornhauserr’s 2013 book, “Politics of Mass Society.” The general dispute within America is that individuals must work for what they have, and if those who enter the country are simply granted citizenship without working for it, U.S. citizens feel it is being handed to them. What they fail to understand is that adding legal citizens to the country only benefits the nation, both economically, and educationally. Currently, there are an unknown number of undocumented workers, but it is estimated to be in the millions as stated in Clay Shirky’s 2011 article, “The Political Power of Social Media: Technology, the Public Sphere, and Political Change.” While this is the primary reason illegal immigrant, and foreign nationals in general, receive a bad reputation, U.S. citizens fail to realize that granting immigrant minors’ citizenship would allow them to work legally and be taxed. They would be honest, working members of society, contributing to the community, as any other legal citizen would be doing. Moreover, allowing granting citizenship to immigrants of strong moral fiber who have already been educated in our school system allows the country to become more culturally diverse without spending tax money on creating ESL programs in each school. The passing of the DREAM Act would alleviate economic stress, while easing cultural tensions, making it a very important motion to pass.
How does an individual go about gaining support for a proposal that has met such opposition? It was introduced in 2001, and has yet to gain any real steam. One course of action is, of course, communication. Manuel Castells states in his 2013 book, “ Communication Power,” that a political individual would need to communicate the positive results that would come from passing the proposal in order for it to gain support. Addressing critics directly is also another strategy any individual hoping to gain support for the proposal must try. Finally, if support is to be ascertained for the DREAM Act, the individual may want to make specific connections with the migrant communities in order to connect the United States citizens and the immigrants, further uniting the parties and gaining support for the act.
These solutions may appear to be flights of fancy, but according to, “Affluence and Influence: Economic Inequality and Political Power in America,” a 2012 novel by Martin Giles, where one chooses to distribute their time and energy is everything when it comes to passing an act or proposal. Obviously, the more rich or powerful one is, the easier their goal will be; as such, they must become an advocate for their goal, raising awareness among the people and correcting ignorant assumptions wherever they go. As such, communication is an enormous part of gaining support because, when it comes to granting immigrants citizenship, many politicians and citizens do not listen. They believe immigrants are freeloaders who do not wish to work, and it will take patience on the part of the advocate to communicate the true desires of the immigrant community. However, if it can be done, the population, as well as the political community, will understand the benefit of the DREAM Act, as stated by Castells. Giles noted that directly addressing critics is also important when gaining support. It allows the individual to gain the trust of voters, while showing the opposition that the party for the proposal will not shy from controversy. Lastly, bonding with the migrant community, while already having bonded with the U.S. citizens, opens a line of communication between the two parties. Creating a bridge between the two groups eliminates any cause for misunderstanding or hatred, reminds Kornhausser, while also opening up lines of communication and acceptance.
In sum, proposals such as the DREAM Act are often overshadowed by ignorant assumptions. The DREAM Act itself seeks to better the United States by allowing decent people the chance to better themselves after having already established a life in the United States. While many politicians seek to halt than in order to gain the popular vote, or in order to act on their own ignorance, it is not right. Thoughtful individuals are able to understand that passing the DREAM Act would stimulate the nation’s economy while making us more culturally diverse and progressive. In the battle to pass the DREAM Act, advocates should exercise patient communication. They should also address all controversial opposition directly and intelligently. Finally, they should meet with immigrant communities and attempt to build relationships between the populations in order to establish communications between the groups that do not involve themselves as a mediator. With the use of these tactics, the individual can gain support for the Act, favor with the people, and pass it in order to help the country move forward.