What's Going On With the DREAM Act?

Ed. Note: View the DREAM Act fact sheet with more information on why the Act is good for our economy, good for our security and good for the nation.

This afternoon, the White House reiterated the President's commitment to the DREAM Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation designed to stop punishing innocent young people for the actions of their parents by giving them the chance to obtain legal status by pursuing a higher education, or by serving in the U.S. armed forces for the country they've grown up in and love as their own.

Thanks to the participation of young people from all over the country, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, Cecilia Munoz took great questions on whether the legislation would encourage people to come to the United States illegally (it would not) and whether the DREAM Act can be implemented by the President via Executive Order (it cannot, which is why he is strongly urging Congress to do the right thing by passing it).

Today's webchat is part of the President's ongoing commitment to engage with young people all over the country. If you'd like to be added to the White House youth engagement distribution list, send an email to youth@who.eop.gov

Miss the webchat live? Check it out in its entirety with full questions and answers here:

• Opening Remarks
• Does the U.S. Government think that students assisted by the DREAM Act could help the economy? Also, what are the negative aspects of the bill?
• Won’t this encourage more people to come to this country illegally?
• Do they have to live in the U.S. for a pre-determined time to be eligible?
• How does the access to the military fit into the DREAM Act?
• What do you mean by ‘stop punishing innocent young people for the actions of their parents’?
• What are some of the major arguments against the DREAM Act and why do you think they are wrong?
• When is the DREAM Act going to get voted on in the House or Senate and what are the chances of it passing?
• What is the President and the Administration doing to gain bipartisan support for the DREAM Act?
• How does this fit into comprehensive immigration reform?
• At what point do we start enforcing our immigration laws to stop illegal immigrants from coming across the border?
• Why do we need 60 votes to pass this legislation?
• Is there a chance that the President Obama makes an executive order to pass this bill?
• What can citizens do to help?
• How will the Dream Act be funded?
• Can you address detention center reform?
• Can you clarify why this is not a ‘free ride’?

See more Official White House photographs on the Flickr photo stream and in the photo galleries on obamawhitehouse.archives.gov.