One pathway to legal status in the DREAM Act is enlistment in the army for at least two years. If given the chance, there are many undocumented students who would join the army and the marines in a heartbeat. A lot of these students have wanted to join even before they'd ever heard of the DREAM Act or had even thought of joining as a possible way to earn legal status. The army needs more soldiers, and there are willing recruits, but without the passage of the DREAM Act, their undocumented status is an unfortunate roadblock.

Recruit is at an all time low; low enough that the army and marines are letting in more and more convicts because of the soldier shortage.

According to Reuters,

"The Army, the largest branch of the U.S. military, gave felony waivers to 511 recruits last year, up from 249 in 2006, according to the figures released by a congressional panel. The Marine Corps granted 350 waivers, up from 208 the year before."

DREAMERS are being punished for breaking a law they did not know they were breaking - crossing the border or visa overstay. For some reason this crime (a misdemeanor according to the law), which occurred while they were minors, is unforgivable and cannot be overlooked. Though both the army and the marines is willing to overlook and waive adults convicted of assault, burglary, manslaughter, and sex crimes. 

It just doesn't make sense. I am all for giving people second chances, but there was a reason why at one point, people charged with these crimes weren't allowed to join. If Congress had gotten their act together and passed the DREAM Act, perhaps the country wouldn't be reduced to enlisting the convicted.