A variety of bills are popping up in Congress to address the status of undocumented immigrants brought here as children, with most of the measures offering so-called “Dreamers” a path to citizenship. That gives us hope there may be a reasonable resolution to the issue in the near future. We are also hopeful these efforts might eventually lead to comprehensive immigration legislation that would find a sensible approach to secure the border and streamline legal immigration.

The latest measure, proposed by three Republicans, including Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, would require those previously protected under the now-rescinded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, to embark on a multiyear course toward full citizenship — something we believe is a critical component of any effective legislation. There are those in the conservative ranks that will resist any policy that appears to offer a form of what they would call “amnesty.” As to that perspective, it is not reasonable to expect, as some have urged, that Dreamers will voluntarily “self-deport” and re-enter the country under current immigration regulations. Amnesty or not, the status of the 800,000 people previously protected under DACA must be addressed in a humane manner. They should not be forced to live in a state of perpetual uncertainty.

It’s important to remember that the Obama administration created DACA as an administrative program because of Congress’ failure to pass the Dream Act, first sponsored by Hatch in 2001. Anti-immigration factions opposed the Dream Act and other measures of reform on the premise that people who flouted the rule of law should be dealt with as criminals. It is now noteworthy that the bills currently in Congress offer similar paths toward citizenship as those spelled out in the original Dream Act, including the proposed bill co-sponsored by Hatch, called SUCCEED, or Solution for Undocumented Children through Careers, Employment, Education and Defending our nation. The measure has merit beyond its clever acronym. It allows Dreamers to become citizens after 15 years if they meet strict requirements in merit-based employment, education or military service tracks. Other bills before Congress propose similar parameters for obtaining legal status.

Requiring a demonstration of worthiness of citizenship over a 15-year period is not a reprieve of any kind, although some hard-liners will undoubtably see it as an unfair privilege granted to those who “skipped the line.” On the other side of the aisle, there will be concerns the requirements for Dreamers to attain citizenship are too strict or the timetable for compliance too long. There may be room to tweak the particulars of the various measures to come up with something that is acceptable to both sides. We hope that is what happens.

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Dealing with the plight of the Dreamers should be the first step toward setting the country’s immigration policy in order. The current system is based on a confusing set of rules that do not offer a consistent course for immigrants to come into compliance with the law or for immigration agencies to effectively manage compliance. Caught in the middle are millions of people who have been here for years. The U.S. government needs to find a way to allow such individuals to come out from the shadows even as it takes additional steps to secure its borders and enforce the rule of law.

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