DREAM Act
Latest action · Feb 9, 2004 By Senator Hatch from Committee on the Judiciary filed written report. Report No. 108-224. Additional views filed.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedJul 31, 2003
- Passed SenateNot reached
- Passed HouseNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act of 2003 or the DREAM Act - (Sec. 3) Amends the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to repeal the denial of an unlawful alien's eligibility for higher education benefits based on State residence unless a U.S. national is similarly eligible without regard to such State residence.
(Sec. 4) Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security to cancel the removal of, and adjust to conditional permanent resident status, an alien who: (1) entered the United States prior to his or her sixteenth birthday, and has been present in the United States for at least five years immediately preceding enactment of this Act; (2) is a person of good moral character; (3) is not inadmissible or deportable under specified criminal, security, smuggling, or illegal entrant or immigration violator grounds, with certain age-related exceptions; (4) at the time of application, has been admitted to an institution of higher education, or has earned a U.S. high school or equivalent diploma; and (5) from the age of 16 and older, has never been under a final order of exclusion, deportation, or removal.
Authorizes waiver of certain grounds of deportability or ineligibility for humanitarian, family or public interest reasons. Prohibits removal of an alien whose conditional status application is pending. Sets forth continuous presence provisions.
(Sec. 5) Establishes, and sets forth the conditions for, a six-year conditional permanent resident status, including: (1) termination of status; and (2) removal of status to permanent status.
Requires an alien to file a petition for removal of conditional status which shall attest that such alien has: (1) maintained good moral character; (2) not abandoned his or her U.S. residence; (3) acquired a degree from a U.S. institution of higher education, or has completed at least two years in a U.S. bachelor's or higher degree program, and /or has served in the U.S. armed forces for at least two years and, if discharged, has received an honorable discharge. (Requires the petition to also show all U.S. secondary schools attended.)
(Sec. 6) States that: (1) if, upon the date of enactment of this Act, an alien has satisfied specified requirements under this Act the Secretary may adjust such alien's status to conditional permanent resident; and (2) an alien may petition for permanent resident status at the end of the conditional residence period if such alien has complied with specified requirements during the entire period of conditional residence.
(Sec. 7) Grants the Secretary exclusive jurisdiction to determine eligibility for relief under this Act, except where an alien has been placed into deportation, exclusion, or removal proceedings in which case the Attorney General shall have exclusive jurisdiction until such proceedings' termination.
Directs the Attorney General to stay the removal proceedings of any alien who: (1) meets the requirements for relief under this Act, except for high school graduation; and (2) is at least 12 years old and enrolled full-time in primary or secondary school. Permits such an alien to work consistent with appropriate labor laws.
(Sec. 8) Establishes fines and/or up to five years' imprisonment for (willful) false application statements.
(Sec. 9) Provides for confidentiality of information, with exceptions for specified law enforcement or coroner's office purposes. Establishes a fine of up to $10,000 for knowing violations of such confidentiality.
(Sec. 10) Provides for expedited application processing (without additional fees).
(Sec. 11) Requires an institution of higher education that enrolls an alien who is a beneficiary under this Act to register such alien in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).
(Sec. 12) States that an alien who adjusts to lawful permanent resident status under this Act shall be eligible only for the following assistance under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965: (1) specified student loans; (2) Federal work-study programs; and (3) other services under such title.
(Sec. 13) Requires a General Accounting Office report seven years after enactment of this Act respecting the number of aliens: (1) who were eligible for cancellation of removal and adjustment of status; (2) who applied for adjustment of status; (3) who were granted adjustment of status; and (4) whose conditional status was removed.
Cosponsors 47
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Jul 31, 2003 to Jun 3, 2004; 7 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-IA | Chuck Grassley | Original | Jul 31, 2003 |
| R-ID | Larry E. Craig | Original | Jul 31, 2003 |
| R-ID | Mike Crapo | Original | Jul 31, 2003 |
| D-VT | Patrick J. Leahy | Original | Jul 31, 2003 |
| R-IN | Richard G. Lugar | Original | Jul 31, 2003 |
| D-IL | Richard J. Durbin | Original | Jul 31, 2003 |
| D-WI | Russell D. Feingold | Original | Jul 31, 2003 |
| D-CA | Barbara Boxer | Aug 1, 2003 | |
| D-FL | Bill Nelson | Aug 1, 2003 | |
| D-MA | Edward M. Kennedy | Aug 1, 2003 | |
| D-NM | Jeff Bingaman | Aug 1, 2003 | |
| D-MA | John F. Kerry | Aug 1, 2003 | |
| I-CT | Joseph I. Lieberman | Aug 1, 2003 | |
| D-WA | Maria Cantwell | Aug 1, 2003 | |
| R-OH | Mike DeWine | Aug 1, 2003 | |
| R-NE | Chuck Hagel | Sep 2, 2003 | |
| D-CA | Dianne Feinstein | Sep 4, 2003 | |
| D-IN | Evan Bayh | Sep 4, 2003 | |
| D-NY | Hillary Rodham Clinton | Sep 4, 2003 | |
| R-AZ | John McCain | Sep 4, 2003 | |
| D-NJ | Jon S. Corzine | Sep 4, 2003 | |
| D-LA | Mary L. Landrieu | Sep 4, 2003 | |
| R-KS | Sam Brownback | Sep 4, 2003 | |
| D-DE | Thomas R. Carper | Sep 4, 2003 | |
| D-CT | Christopher J. Dodd | Sep 9, 2003 | |
| D-NV | Harry Reid | Sep 9, 2003 | |
| R-MN | Norm Coleman | Sep 9, 2003 | |
| D-NY | Charles E. Schumer | Sep 17, 2003 | |
| D-NJ | Frank R. Lautenberg | Sep 17, 2003 | |
| D-MD | Paul S. Sarbanes | Sep 24, 2003 | |
| D-NE | Ben Nelson | Sep 29, 2003 | |
| D-MN | Mark Dayton | Sep 29, 2003 | |
| D-IA | Tom Harkin | Sep 29, 2003 | |
| D-PA | Arlen Specter | Oct 1, 2003 | |
| D-NC | John Edwards | Oct 1, 2003 | |
| D-AR | Blanche L. Lincoln | Oct 14, 2003 | |
| D-FL | Bob Graham | Oct 15, 2003 | |
| D-WI | Herb Kohl | Oct 15, 2003 | |
| D-MI | Carl Levin | Oct 27, 2003 | |
| D-WA | Patty Murray | Nov 4, 2003 | |
| R-IL | Peter Fitzgerald | Nov 11, 2003 | |
| D-MD | Barbara A. Mikulski | Jan 22, 2004 | |
| D-AR | Mark L. Pryor | Mar 22, 2004 | |
| D-HI | Daniel K. Akaka | Apr 20, 2004 | |
| D-RI | Jack Reed | Apr 20, 2004 | |
| R-RI | Lincoln Chafee | Apr 27, 2004 | |
| R-ME | Susan M. Collins | Jun 3, 2004 |
Withdrew 1 Ben Nighthorse Campbell R-CO Nov 12, 2003
Committees 1
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| Senate | Judiciary Committee | Referred Aug 1, 2003Markup Oct 16, 2003Markup Oct 23, 2003Reported Nov 25, 2003 |
Actions 8
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Feb 9, 2004By Senator Hatch from Committee on the Judiciary filed written report. Report No. 108-224. Additional views filed.
- Nov 25, 2003Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Hatch with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
- Nov 25, 2003Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 415.
- Oct 23, 2003Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
- Oct 16, 2003Committee on the Judiciary. Committee consideration and Mark Up Session held.
In the Congressional Record 6
Days the Record’s own index lists this bill, newest first, with the pages and the members it names. Pages starting H are the House, S the Senate, E Extensions of Remarks.
| Where | In the Record | Members | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senate | Debate and remarks S9721 | Hillary Rodham Clinton D-NY | Sep 27, 2004 |
| Extensions | Debate and remarks E1663 | Hilda L. Solis D-CA | Sep 21, 2004 |
| Senate | Debate and remarks S8670–S8671 | Richard J. Durbin D-IL | Jul 22, 2004 |
| Senate | Debate and remarks S14315 | Harry Reid D-NV | Nov 10, 2003 |
| Senate | Debate and remarks S11980 | Paul S. Sarbanes D-MD | Sep 25, 2003 |
Research
What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.
Committee report
Congressional Budget Office cost estimates 2
- Jan 2, 2004S. 1545, Development, Relief, and Education for Alien MInors Act<p>Cost estimate for the bill as reported by the Senate Committee on the Judiciary on November 25, 2003</p>
- Jan 2, 2004S. 1545, Development, Relief, and Education for Alien MInors ActCost estimate for the bill as reported by the Senate Committee on the Judiciary on November 25, 2003
CRS reports 2
Congressional Research Service work that CRS links to this bill or the law it became, newest first.
Cite it 2
Products on other subjects that cite it, usually among other measures.
| Product | Title | Kind | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| R45995 | Unauthorized Childhood Arrivals, DACA, and Related Legislation Archived | Report | Jun 30, 2020 |
| RL31365 | Unauthorized Alien Students: Legislation in the 107th and 108th Congresses Archived | Report | Jan 17, 2007 |
Titles 5
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- A bill to amend the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to permit States to determine State residency for higher education purposes and to authorize the cancellation of removal and adjustment of status of certain alien students who are long-term United States residents.
- Short Titles as Introduced
- DREAM Act
- Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act of 2003
- Short Titles as Reported to Senate
- DREAM Act
- Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act of 2003
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Immigration.
- Administrative procedure
- Administrative remedies
- Alien labor
- Aliens
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Congress
- Congressional investigations
- Crime and Law Enforcement
- Department of Homeland Security
- Deportation
- Economics and Public Finance
- Education
- Elementary and secondary education
- Elementary education
- Families
- Federal aid to education
- Foreign students
- Fraud
- Government Operations and Politics
- Government paperwork
- Higher education
- Immigrant education
- Immigrants
- Immigration
- Labor and Employment
- Law
- Military discharges
- Military personnel
- National service
- Naturalization
- Residence requirements
- Secondary education
- Social Welfare
- Student employment
- Student loan funds
- Volunteer workers
Text 2
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Nov 25, 2003Reported to Senate
- Jul 31, 2003Introduced in Senate
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.