The DREAM Act is a bill first introduced in 2001. If enacted, it would give illegal immigrants who crossed the border when they were young the possibility of obtaining documentation as citizens of the United States, provided they meet certain requirements. The DREAM Act should be enacted at the federal level because it will benefit the United States by filling positions in the military and adding talented young scholars to the workforce, as well as giving young immigrants the freedom and pursuit of happiness that they are promised . The DREAM Act, which stands for Development, Relief, and Education of Alien Minors Act, was first introduced in 2001 by Dick Durbin and Orrin Hatch. The first hearing was supposed to be held on September 12, 2001, but was postponed due to the September 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Since then, the DREAM Act has been tossed back and forth, but has never gotten to the point of being passed at the federal level. Both the Democratic and Republican parties are for it, so that's not the issue. Some states, like California, for example, have adopted their own adaptation of the DREAM Act. The DREAM Act was originally designed to help people who came to the United States legally as children obtain U.S. citizenship, provided they fill a specific set of requirements. To apply for the DREAM Act, an individual must be 15 years of age or younger when he or she arrived in the United States. You must have been in the United States for five or more consecutive years before applying and be between the ages of 12 and 35 at the time of application. You must have graduated high school in the United States, obtained your GED in the United States, or been accepted… halfway through… the DREAM Act is a win-win situation. It gives innocent people the rights they need to live their daily lives in peace and, in return, provides the United States with a pool of high-functioning, talented, and intelligent people to take their place in our nation. These people would continue to help the American economy excel and keep the United States Army a revered and honorable force. It would also enhance our reputation as a nation at a time when we are beginning to decline in this regard. Our ancestors wrote that America was “the land of the free.” The DREAM Act would only further secure this claim. With the DREAM Act in place, we can help people realize their dreams while also benefiting ourselves. We should all follow the example of California Governor Jerry Brown when he says, “I am committed to expanding opportunity wherever I can find it”..”