To the Editor:
“Dream Time”
(editorial, Sept. 20) doesn’t tell the whole story. The Dream Act,
which was blocked in the Senate on Tuesday—it was attached to a
Pentagon spending bill that was filibustered—would grant lawful
permanent residence and then citizenship to millions of individuals.
Just as in every other amnesty program, fraud in the Dream Act process
will drive the number much higher, as illegal immigrants discover how
easy it is to claim that they arrived in the United States before the
age of 15.
The Dream Act makes it easy for almost any illegal immigrant—even
those who do not qualify for the amnesty—to evade the law. Once an
alien files an application, no matter how spurious, the federal
government is prohibited from deporting the illegal immigrant.
The Dream Act will encourage more illegal immigration since
illegal-immigrant parents will bring their children with them in the
expectation that they will benefit from another Dream Act. The bill is a
dream for those who have broken the law, but a nightmare for
law-abiding and taxpaying Americans who foot the bill for continued
illegal immigration.
The American people have repeatedly demonstrated their strong opposition
to amnesty for millions of illegal immigrants. Unfortunately the
administration and the Democrats are choosing not to listen.
Lamar Smith
San Antonio, Sept. 22, 2010
The writer is ranking member on the House Judiciary Committee.
Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D. 