Letter: Dream Act unfair to U.S. citizens

Thursday, Nov. 1, 2007 | 7:35 a.m.

The Las Vegas Sun's Oct. 29 editorial "Like a bad dream " favors Sen. Richard Durbin's recent attempt to sneak through another giveaway to illegals.

Durbin's Dream Act would have many negative consequences for Americans. First of all, it was a sneak amendment to the Defense Authorization bill that would give legal status to persons who came illegally to the U.S. before the age of 16 if they graduate from high school and then complete two years of college or military service.

It would also allow them to request status for their family members (more taxpayer costs). Some groups object to this Dream Act because it would allow states to offer in-state tuition rates to illegal aliens but not to out-of-state citizens. Tens of thousands of Americans - poor whites, Hispanics and blacks who are already citizens have difficulty paying tuition. Why give breaks to illegals rather than to American citizens?

Perhaps the biggest objection to Durbin's amendment is that there would be no enforcement to ensure that only graduates of high school qualify. Unfortunately, the national statistics on Hispanics' high school dropout rates are much higher than the rates of other groups.

How would the government know if a given illegal is truly a graduate? Would the government contact the thousands of high schools to verify graduation status? We all know better. The U.S. government is notorious for not enforcing consequences for illegals residing here.

Most of the young people considered in Durbin's amendment are from Mexico. Perhaps these illegal young people should go home, get a visa and Mexican financial support, and pay to go to school in the United States.

Paula Stone, Henderson