Senate leader drops pro-immigrant Dream Act

juang · 09-28-2007, 02:39 PM

http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_7025210?source=rss

Quote:

By Lisa Friedman
MEDIANEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU

Article Launched: 09/28/2007 03:07:15 AM PDT

WASHINGTON -- Bowing to pressure from illegal immigration hard-liners, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has pulled the Dream Act, which would have legalized undocumented college and military-bound students who came to the United States as children.
Republican opponents successfully blocked the bill late Wednesday, but Reid said he remains committed to its passage.

He vowed a Senate vote on the measure by Nov. 15.

"Children shouldn't be penalized for the actions of their parents," Reid said. "Many of these youths come to America when they are very young. ... They think of themselves as American, and many of these children are so desperate to be able to go to school."

Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., who wrote the bill, expressed hope that the measure will eventually be passed.

"This narrowly tailored bipartisan legislation will allow a generation of immigrant students with great potential and ambitions to contribute to our nation's security and future," he said.

Opponents, however, were ecstatic, and they vowed to continue their efforts to kill future attempts at passage.

"Taxpayers are angry. We have our own citizens and resident aliens who followed the rules. Slots in state colleges and universities will be frozen out," said David Zitch, who lives near the campus of Cal State Northridge.

Of the estimated 35,000 students a year who graduate high school but are blocked from serving in the military or attending a U.S. college because they are undocumented, Zitch said, "Sorry. Sorry that their parents brought them here without going through the hoops. Life's not fair."
The fight over the Dream Act marked a major aftershock in the immigration battle.

After failing earlier this year to pass legislation putting millions of illegal immigrants on a path to citizenship, several lawmakers opted to push piecemeal bills like the Dream Act.

Durbin's measure, strongly backed by California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, is aimed primarily at giving illegal immigrants who were brought here before the age of 16 a shot at legalization if they enlist in the U.S. military or go to college for at least two years.

Feinstein also is trying to attach a bill to upcoming farm legislation that would legalize millions of agricultural workers.

On Thursday, she said Republicans' success in blocking Durbin's bill underscores the need to secure broad support for her Agricultural Job Opportunities, Benefits, and Security Act, known as AgJOBS.

"AgJOBS should be passed because there is an agricultural labor deficit that can't be filled with American labor," she said.

If the fight over the Dream Act is any indication, she faces an uphill battle. Alabama Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions in particular has vowed to use every tool available to block new legalization measures.

Other Republicans, however, said they support the bill for illegal college students but objected to attaching it to a defense bill.

Groups that advocate for illegal immigrants said they are confident that if the bill comes up alone it stands a strong chance of passing.

"The Dream Act has never had a vote before. It's never had the promise of a vote," said Josh Bernstein, a spokesman for the National Immigration Law Center.

"To me what happened is a positive thing," he said.

lutier2008 · 09-28-2007, 02:42 PM

So if Reid doesn't bring DREAM to the floor (likely; Reid is a fuckn pussy) who do we support ? Republicans?

mdhfinsc · 09-28-2007, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by juang

Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., who wrote the bill, expressed hope that the measure will eventually be passed.

Will eventually be passed? If everytime gets pulled of the floor.

Maybe we will get more supporters on the new congress. Thats if we don't get more "Sessions". I don't know about you guys but i'm gonna start looking for other ways to fix this situation. Dream act looks like will never get enough support.

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Senate leader drops pro-immigrant Dream Act