By Jenna Duncan, News Staff

President Joseph Aoun sent a letter to Senator Scott Brown (R-Mass) to support the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, a federal bill that would give young, undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship.

If passed, qualifying immigrants would be granted conditional status for six years, which would allow them to complete at least two years of college or military service and apply for legal, permanent residence.

“As an educator, it is my personal belief that expanding educational opportunities for young people is critical to the continued vibrancy and leadership of our nation,” Aoun said in a statement to The News.

This version of the legislation was introduced in March 2009, though similar bills have been circulating Congress since 2001. Harvard University President Drew Gilpin Faust was the first to support the current version with a letter. More recently, the presidents of Tufts University, Cornell University and the University of Pennsylvania have written letters to their congressmen in support of the bill, according to the official website for the legislation, Dreamact.info.

Brown spokeswoman Gail Gitcho told the Boston Herald the senator would review the legislation if and when it comes before the Senate.