If Congress cares about protecting our investments, they should pass a Dream Act

We are often asked to reflect on how it is that, even in a state as deep red as Texas, we were able to pass the first ever state version of a Dream Act. It really boils down to two underlying factors. One, of course, is the economy. The second, is the impact of the stories behind those who we’ve come to know as our students, dreamers, and the future of our country.

When we first met a promising young man named Rosendo, he was a teenager mowing lawns to earn a living with dreams of becoming an aviation mechanic. He had been saving up for school and wanted to sign up for an aviation program at Houston Community College. Yet he encountered an obstacle when told he would have to pay the out of state tuition rate, three times what in-state students paid, despite living and working in Texas for years. Upon learning his story we recognized that, just like the rest of us, Rosendo was simply trying to provide for himself and the family he hoped to have someday. We were inspired to help.

{mosads}We began to work on HB 1403, which became known as the Texas Dream Act. The act established that a student who is not a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident can receive in-state tuition if they graduated from a Texas high school and have resided in the state for more than than three years. Our bill passed the state legislature in 2001 with 130 votes in favor of the bill, 2 abstentions, and 2 votes against it.

The strong bipartisan support might seem surprising by today’s standards, but we were successful because legislators on both sides of the aisle recognized the growing demand for a local, educated workforce. They understood that this bill wasn’t about partisan politics, but was instead about creating pathways for hardworking students to successfully contribute their talents to our workforce; supporting the Texas economy in the process.

Since the bill went into effect, thousands of students have been able to go to school, and, like Rosendo, receive an education that enables them to find jobs where they are able to make more money and contribute more to the local economy.

It was also about protecting our K-12 investment. The students who qualify for the Texas Dream Act came to this country as children. They have grown up through our K-12 education system and excelled in their studies, and many go on to obtain college degrees or other credentials at prestigious schools.  Closing the door on them after we have invested so much in their education is bad policy and a horrible return on our investment.

Similarly, a Dream Act on a national scale, would protect the investments that our local governments are already making in these students. Children who are brought to the U.S. by their parents have been involved in our communities, been educated in our schools, and contributed to our economy for years. Many saw a glimmer of hope that their hard work had not been in vain when they trusted our government with their information and applied for Deferred Action, only to have that hope squashed by the current political climate. Providing them with a pathway to continue pursuing their dreams makes good economic sense.

It is also the right thing to do. Individuals like Rosendo already face an uphill climb when trying to make a life for themselves in America, but our country has always been founded on the ideal that good, honest work pays off. We recently met with Rosendo over lunch to catch up on how things were going.  He is now an aviation mechanic for United Airlines, became a U.S. Citizen, voted in the last two elections, and has a lot of opinions about how much his income is being taxed. He is a full-fledged American, just like so many of our Dreamers.

While it is about “the economy, stupid,” it is also about the hundreds of thousands of Rosendos who stand to benefit from a federal version of the Dream Act.  This is about eliminating barriers and providing opportunities for individuals who have studied in our schools so they can join our workforce and give back to society. It is about students, hard-working employees, and members of our American military. This is what good policy looks like and why, despite numerous efforts to repeal our state bill, it has endured. If Congress cares about protecting our investments and growing our local workforce, they should pass a Dream Act.

Richard Noriega is a former member of the Texas House of Representatives who served in the Texas legislature for five terms and authored House Bill 1403, The Texas Dream Act, in 2001. Dr. Rod Paige served as the 7th United States Secretary of Education from 2001 to 2005 under US President George W. Bush.