How Republicans Flipped on the DREAM Act in One Month

Ianus · 01:54 PM

http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/20...one_month.html

Quote:

Back on July 3, I noticed that Republicans being grilled at town hall meetings were sounding more and more open to citizenship for "Dreamers." Rep. Bob Goodlatte, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee who's about 0.006 percent as well-known as Lindsey Graham but 10 times as important for the bill, was confronted by a 16-year-old whose parents had brought her into the country illegally. "People like you should be addressed," he said.

A week later House Republicans held an air-clearing meeting about their next moves. Member after member agreed that young Dreamers might be worth giving citizenship to.

So: In the last 24 hours, immigration reporters have gotten Goodlatte to talk about his plan to fix this.

Quote:

The bill, tentatively named the KIDS Act, would be a Republican alternative to the Dream Act that failed in the Senate in 2010, and would allow undocumented young people to become legal residents. Although offices for Cantor and Goodlatte would not get into details or the timetable, Cantor has said previously that undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children should be allowed to become citizens.

The KIDS Act would be one of several bills that the House could consider on immigration reform as part of its piecemeal approach. So far, Republicans seem far more comfortable with legalizing so-called Dreamers than they do with a path to citizenship for their parents.

And yet just a month ago, Rep. Steve King added an amendment to the Homeland Security funding bill written to end a policy begun by Barack Obama in 2012—"deferred action" on deporting illegal immigrants under 30. It was seen as a pseudo-DREAM Act, and the King amendment was seen as a pseudo-repeal of psuedo-DREAM. It passed, 224-201, with all but six Republicans voting with just three red-district Democrats.

What happened? The Senate bill really did put some fear into House Republicans; the King amendment is going to have to be explained as blow against executive overreach, not as anything to do with Dreamers.

I also saw this concerning the 'Kids act' and I guess some might not be far off concerning the age restriction.

Quote:

Asked GOP aide what KIDS is an acronym for in the proposed "KIDS Act" for young illegal immigrants. "KIDS = children," said aide.

dreamerperson · 07-13-2013, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ianus

http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/20...one_month.htmlI also saw this concerning the 'Kids act' and I guess some might not be far off concerning the age restriction.

<_< As if I couldn't possibly get any more depressed by this bullshit the Congress is pulling on us, this happens?

So suddenly they want to legalize illegal immigrant kids, but likely not include those of us (young adults) who have worked our assess off to go to college and make something of ourselves or just work in general to contribute to society.

Because leaving out dreamers ages 30+ in DACA wasn't enough or anything. Or voting to defund DACA entirely.

The DREAM Act (and other related immigration bills) wouldn't even have a movement behind it if it weren't for the older DREAMers, so if they choose to exclude young adults (18 and older) who were brought as children, then they are just full of shit.

dtrt09 · 02:31 PM

Quote:

Because leaving out dreamers ages 30+ in DACA wasn't enough or anything

That was ALL Obama - and it accomplished what? Nothing, other than excluding us. Which just goes to show he has no idea what to do. He has all of these voices telling him to do this or do that, but he himself has no clue how the immigration system truly works, how it truly affects us, how we can see thru the bullshit and thus, he cannot make a good decision or plan good strategy.

On a side note, he didn't demand a deadline for Senate legislation, but now demands one from the House and yet he expects them to not call him out on it? I mean...I don't know how much more dissapointment I can feel. IRS scandals, Spying on American who are not criminals, racially profiling Hispanics thru S-Comm, ramping up deportations so 'he can seem tough on illegal immigraion' (this one I can't even...), the biggest, biggest failure is Obamacare!! Bad decision to pursue this right in his first year, BAD legilslation which they now have problem implementing (single-payer would have gotten this off the radar by now, not to mention that even illegal immigrants wouldn't have been an issue if they are taxpayers because the deductions would be taxes), gun -running in Mexico, DOJ censoring the press, I just can't...

Rogue414 · 07-13-2013, 02:26 PM

Wtf! I've been here since I was 4 and I'm 24 now, I think all of us have been waiting long enough. I'm not saying we deserve anything, but in the other hand allow us to contribute to this country(most of us do already) and earn our residency by serving in the military, going to college, pay fines etc. just my two cents.

dreamact1982 · 07-13-2013, 04:14 PM

Obama is an idiot. Such a weak president that the world doesnt even laugh at US, but at him. China, Russia take him as a joke. He makes Bush look like Einstein. No wonder half of his cabinet has already resigned since he became President

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How Republicans Flipped on the DREAM Act in One Month