Lawmakers push for military as route to citizenship though DREAM Act

Immigrant rights groups continue to call for lawmakers to pass the DREAM Act, which would provide undocumented youth with a path to citizenship if they fulfill requirements for attending college or serving in the military. In recent weeks, some Republicans have expressed support for eliminating the education component and requiring military service. Last month, Congressmember David Rivera of Florida introduced the Adjusted Residency for Military Service or ARMS Act, which would do just that. Rivera said if “young people are willing to die for America, then certainly they deserve a chance at life in America.” To find out more about where US leaders stand on these issues, The Real News Network’s Paul Jay spoke to Thanu Yakupitiyage, with the Occupy Wall Street Immigrant Worker Justice Working Group. He started by asking her to respond to President Obama’s brief mention of immigration during his State of the Union Address.