"Dreamers" are the 1.7 million Americans who were brought to the United States as children by unauthorized immigrant parents. As a result, Dreamers do not have legal status in America. They've grown up in the U.S. like any other American child, but they are undocumented and subject to deportation.

Astrid Silva is one of them. We talked to her and Sen. Harry Reid about the plight of dreamers:

So, what can we do?

The DREAM Act is a proposed law that would legalize these young people and allow them to fully participate in American society. Congress, however, has yet to pass it. After the DREAM Act failed, President Obama issued executive orders to protect Dreamers from deportation. Obama's actions on this issue have been challenged in court, and the Supreme Court will decide this year if they were legal.

Opponents of the DREAM Act and President Obama argue that granting legal status to Dreamers would only encourage more parents to bring their children to the U.S. illegally. On the other hand, those in favor of helping Dreamers point out that deporting Americans who grew up here and know no other home is simply un-American.