WASHINGTON -- Republicans showed no signs of supporting the DREAM Act at a hearing for the bill on Tuesday, with Sens. John Cornyn (Texas) and Chuck Grassley (Iowa) pressing for more border security in exchange for their support for a bill that would provide legal status to some undocumented young people.
Three representatives from the Obama administration spoke in support of the DREAM Act, which would grant legal status to some young people who entered the United States as children and agree to attend college or join the military, provided they have a clean criminal record and meet other eligibility requirements.
Department of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Under Secretary of Defense Clifford Stanley said the administration fully supports the bill because it would widen the pool for military recruits, encourage higher education and allow immigration enforcement officials to focus their efforts on dangerous undocumented immigrants.
Duncan said the DREAM Act would generate $1.4 billion more in revenue than it would cost over the next decade, money that could go toward reducing the current $14.29 trillion deficit.
"To not take advantage of this as a country is simply nonsensical to me," he said. "This is an investment, not an expense."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/28/dems-push-for-dream-act_n_886044.html