Although there are still some court challenges that need to be resolved, it seems likely you will be asked to weigh in on the DREAM Act as a ballot question in the next election.

What is the DREAM Act and what are its impacts?

Last April, the state Legislature passed its version of the federal DREAM Act. Under this law, undocumented students (children of illegal immigrants) are eligible for the in-state tuition rate if they attend a state high school for three years and graduate or receive their GED, provide documentation that their parent filed a Maryland income tax return annually for three years prior to their high school graduation, continue to file taxes until their college graduation and provide an affidavit stating they will file to become a permanent resident within 30 days of being able to do so.

The law was passed on a partisan basis by Democrats, but it was immediately challenged by Republicans who gathered enough voter signatures to place this issue on the ballot in this year's November elections.

It's a very complicated issue with compelling arguments on both sides. Is denying children of illegal immigrants in-state tuition rates punishing them for the acts of their parents? Is providing them in-state rates rewarding illegal acts and acting as a magnet for more illegal immigration? Is this act — which facilitates maximizing the potential of the children of illegals — in our own best interest as we compete on the world stage? Or does this create a situation where the children of legal citizens will suffer because of limited space at state universities?

I believe it is instructive to understand how we ended up in this situation.

In a race to keep prices low, both small and large companies in some industries found that hiring illegals (with false documentation) was the only way to stay competitive and/or increase their bottom line. With both consumers and companies motivated by money far outnumbering the workers being displaced, there was little political will to enforce the laws against such practices. As a result it is estimated there are now more than 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States.

So now, after decades of an environment in which this situation evolved, we are faced with choosing between the ideals of our rules of law and the practical consequences affecting ourselves and a large illegal population, which has become interwoven into the social and economic fabric of our country.

While harsh penalties for employers who hire illegals would seem to be part of the solution, are we willing to ask small and medium companies to bear the cost of trying to determine the authenticity of easily obtained false documentation? Are we willing to disrupt families and require children who have lived here most of their lives to return to their country of birth? Are we willing to pay a thousand dollars more to have our houses painted and roofs replaced and not have enough labor available to pick our crops?

Frankly, I understand both sides of this issue and I have not made up my mind yet as to how I will vote. I think it is a valid issue to put to the voters as a referendum. But the collective wisdom of the voters will be manifest only if you resist knee-jerk reactions, do some research and debate this among your friends and family. It's an important issue that deserves careful consideration.

Richard Zipper is a Golden ID student taking courses in biology. He can be reached at zipper@umdbk.com.