Still Dreaming (Editorial)

Political motives no doubt underlie President Barack Obama’s implementation of a policy that would allow young illegal immigrants to remain in the U.S. That doesn’t mean it’s not progress.

Back in December 2010, Arkansas Business called the Dream Act, which would have helped young undocumented immigrants become legal residents, "a step in the right direction." That proposal focused on illegal immigrants who had come to this country as children, had been here for five years and had no criminal record. In addition, the Dream Act legislation required these young people to either attend two years of college in the U.S. or serve in the military for two years before gaining legal status.

Although the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce had no official position on the act, back then its president, Randy Zook, said he personally supported the proposal.
Obama backed the Dream Act but the GOP derailed that 2010 measure.

Zook told Arkansas Business last week that chambers of commerce generally support a process to regularize the status of illegal immigrants, particularly those who were brought here as children.

"And I think it’s also fair [to say] that we would support comprehensive immigration reform. It’s one of the badly needed policy elements that’s got the potential to get the economy back on some more positive track."

For the State Chamber comprehensive immigration reform means, Zook said, controlling the borders, providing a path toward normalization for immigrants already in the U.S. and reforming the nation’s immigrant quota system.

We especially need to try to retain immigrants who get advanced college degrees, Zook said. "We’ve helped invest in their educations and we’ve got all this brain power and we make them go home."

Comprehensive immigration reform remains an important goal, but easing the way toward eventual citizenship for young, responsible, hard-working immigrants is a positive development.