DREAM Act / DREAMer
Last updatedDefinition
The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act is a bill that aims to create a pathway to citizenship for immigrants who were brought to the United States as children without documentation and are now vulnerable to deportation.
The bill was first introduced to Congress in 2001, and more than 10 versions have been introduced since, though none have been passed. An individual who would benefit under the terms of one of or all versions of the bill may be called a “DREAMer” or “Dreamer.”
DREAMer and DACA recipient are not interchangeable terms — DREAMer refers to the wider population of undocumented immigrants brought to the US as children, not all of whom are eligible for DACA, so only DREAMers who have received DACA status are DACA recipients. Though a majority of DACA recipients and DREAMers come from Latin American countries, DREAMers come from dozens of countries around the world; it is misleading to portray DREAMers as a monolithic group or to imply that everyone’s experiences and concerns are similar.
Some states have passed laws to help those who may have been eligible under the DREAM Act, such as the New York State Dream Act of 2019, which offers financial aid and scholarships for undocumented young people to attend university.
Additional resources
- Immigration 101: What is a Dreamer? (America’s Voice)
- Text – H.R.6 – 117th Congress (2021-2022): American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 (Congress)
Summary
The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act is a bill that aims to create a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who came to the US as children. Someone who qualifies for the DREAM Act is called a “DREAMer” or “Dreamer.” DREAMer and DACA recipient are not interchangeable terms — DREAMer refers to the wider population of undocumented immigrants brought to the US as children, not all of whom are eligible for DACA, so only DREAMers who have received DACA status are DACA recipients.