Obama's DREAM: Grant Up To 2 Million Aliens "Path To Citizenship"

Now that the Obama administration has said it "absolutely supports" a controversial plan to give as many as 2 million illegal aliens legal status in the U.S., a group funded by the U.S. Census Bureau, George Soros' Open Society Institute and various other organizations is seeking to renew the spotlight on the DREAM Act.

The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, or DREAM Act, was introduced in March 2009 by Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., and Rep. Howard Berman, D-Calif. Durbin is sponsoring S.729 in the Senate with 40 co-sponsors, and Howard is sponsoring H.R.1751 in the House with 124 co-sponsors.

According to key provisions of the DREAM Act, the legislation would extend conditional legal status to allow children of illegal aliens to work and go to school in the U.S.

But critics say the DREAM Act is just another "specialized amnesty proposal."

In the following July 1 White House video of a "Comprehensive immigration reform roundtable," Cecilia Muñoz, White House director of intergovernmental affairs, said, "The DREAM Act, which I described before, is terribly important. The president absolutely supports it. And if Congress, if our allies in Congress decide to move forward on the DREAM Act, we will happily support it. The president has been a supporter really for much of his career."

To qualify under the DREAM Act provisions, the illegal aliens must have:

* entered the U.S. before age 16
* have been in the U.S. for at least five years before enactment of the legislation
* have obtained a high-school diploma or GED.
* be less than 35 years old

After six years, noncitizens with conditional status would be allowed to apply for permanent residence if they have earned a college degree, completed two years in a bachelor's degree program or served at least two years in the U.S. military and maintained good moral character.

The DREAM Act would be retroactive, allowing illegal aliens who are older than 35 to switch to conditional and then permanent status if they meet requirements.

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