No new Dream Act, say GOP lawmakers
 

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No new Dream Act, say GOP lawmakers



WASHINGTON - Congressional Republicans are pronouncing President Obama's proposal that the next Congress overhaul the country's immigration laws as dead before arrival.

In his year-end news conference Wednesday, Obama said his biggest regret about the recent lame-duck session of Congress was the defeat of the Dream Act, a measure that offered a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants brought to the country as children.

"It is heartbreaking," Obama said, as he explained how such immigrants often realized that they were without legal status only when they tried to go to college or join the military. "That can't be who we are. To have our kids, classmates of our children, who are suddenly under this shadow of fear through no fault of their own. They didn't break the law - they were kids."

Congressional Republicans said in interviews Thursday that their concerns about the measure remained strong, and both House and Senate GOP leaders said they would fight any attempt to legalize any of the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the country before the administration secured the nation's southern border with Mexico.

"It is pointless to talk about any new immigration bills that grant amnesty until we secure the border, since such bills will only encourage more illegal immigration," incoming House Judiciary Chairman Lamar Smith, R-Texas, said in a prepared statement.

In an interview, Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, ranking Republican on the House immigration subcommittee, accused Obama of playing politics with immigration and toying with Latino voters.

"It is extraordinarily unlikely that any version of comprehensive immigration reform that includes amnesty will go through the House of Representatives," he said.

Obama's call on Congress to pass the Dream Act "polarizes Americans along the lines of race and ethnicity," King added. "He implies there is a realistic chance - he knows better, and therefore it makes it a political statement designed to gin up his base and pit Americans against Americans."

During the recent contentious congressional debate over the act, Republicans said the measure would reward violators of the country's immigration laws and encourage new waves of illegal immigration. They also said that the measure was lax in allowing some lawbreakers to gain citizenship, and that the requirement that Dream Act beneficiaries obtain two years of college education or military service set the bar too low.

Revising the act to eliminate those issues would not solve the underlying problem with the measure, said Stephen Miller, a spokesman for Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., who led Senate Republicans in their opposition to the measure.

"When you're traveling in the wrong direction, modest alterations don't make a difference," Miller said. "You need to get off the road and head down a different one. As Senator Sessions has said, the first thing we need to do is end the massive illegality at the border."

Obama said Wednesday he is open to new measures to improve border security.

"I think it is absolutely appropriate for the American people to expect that we do not have porous borders and anyone can come in here any time," he said. "But I also think about those kids, and I want to do right by them."

Re: No new Dream Act, say GOP lawmakers
 

These are predictable verbose from Lamar Smith, two kings and the Jeff Session camp. There is another group of republicans (including Newt, Jeb, Romney et. al.) who genuinely would like to see this issue resolved before the 2012 presidential race heats up. Although it's highly unlikely that DA or CIR will go anywhere in 2011; we will just have to be patient and continue to organize.

Re: No new Dream Act, say GOP lawmakers
 

I'd never thought the day would come that these words actually came out of my mouth, but I think our ally might end up being Boner (yes, i know how i spelled it). They can have committee hearings all they want, and in reality, how popular are those things anyway? The important stuff will come from Boner and whether or not he'll attempt to bring an enforcement bill up for a vote. I honestly don't think that he will be stupid enough to do that. Sure, they went with the anti-immigrant sentiment to win in 2010, and they did just that. But they know that there is no way in hell that they will win in 2012 without the non-white vote. And let's face it, the GOP thinks short-term. The ones in power now don't really care about the future of the party because they'll be 6ft. under when it comes crumbling down.

Re: No new Dream Act, say GOP lawmakers
 

Feenmi: then you don't know Boehner. The guy has no common sense-from seeking to repeal HCR to limiting money going to college students because he "put himself through school through his own merits." The guy's a dickhead and I bet that if any immigration bill is brought up by the House in the next two years it will be an enforcement-only approach. Representative Darrel Issa represents my district and the guy has always taken an ardent anti-immigrant stance and will continue to do so because he knows that is what gets him re-elected in our district and just south of us is the district represented by Bilbray (the guy who said he could id us because of our shoes and clothing)...it's funny because both districts have a ton of rich white people who constantly donate loads of money to their campaigns while at the same time employing illegals to trim their lawns, clean their houses etc. It's these politicians that will do anything in their power no matter how destructive it is to the GOP to get re-elected; its just political fact.

Re: No new Dream Act, say GOP lawmakers
 

I agree with you. If i am not wrong, back in 2007 when bush was president and republicans were controled in house just like they will be in new congress from jan. Republicans controled house passed anti-immigation bills and president bush push CIR though the senate in 2007. Yes Obama can do same thing what bush did in 2007 and his in better position with his own party then bush was. So lets hope for Anti bills pops up soon in house and we all know those bills goin no where without CIR with obama standing tall to block anything anti passes just like what he did with AZ law. In the end Anti has to compromise with obama to get their bills passed. Obama knows what his doing thas why he didn't give as many troops to AZ asked for few months ago.

Re: No new Dream Act, say GOP lawmakers
 

First of all the only Republican saying this are Session's camp because they know in their state all the conservatives arent gonna vote for a democrat so their feeling safe bad mouthing the DA but other Republicans are not 100% with Sessions and all these bastards because they know without the latino vote their not goin anywhere on the next elections SO PEOPLE DONT FEEL DISCOURAGED THIS IS ONLY LIKE 3 OR 4 REPUBLICANS SAYING THE DA IS DEAD NEXT CONGRESS KEEP YOUR HOPES UP AND ALSO NO ANTI-IMMIGRATION WILL PASS

Re: No new Dream Act, say GOP lawmakers
 

I think DA will be introduced in 2011. Bennett and Durbin will.

Re: No new Dream Act, say GOP lawmakers
 

I agree with DA User. I still think it would just barely get the amount of House votes needed to pass, but it will still have problems getting through the Senate. The US is trying to become a more multicultural country in the future. I pray that political moves that these kinds of Republicans make don't reverse or even halt the diversification of our country.

Re: No new Dream Act, say GOP lawmakers
 

It is always introduced in Congress...but it can just sit there w/o any type of action.

Re: No new Dream Act, say GOP lawmakers
 

Bennett from Utah won't be in the Senate next session.