Sen Durbin "hopeful but not confident" that Dream Act will pass

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/i...205-story.html

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin on Monday said he is “hopeful but not confident” that Congress will pass the Dream Act and create a path to citizenship for immigrants who were brought to the country illegally as children.

Durbin, the second-ranking Senate Democrat and a top sponsor of the bipartisan bill, is encouraging his colleagues to join him in blocking spending legislation if the legal status of Dreamers isn't resolved, a move that could lead to a government shutdown.

“We have to assert ourselves in the minority and make it clear that we are not going to vote for certain legislation — and our votes are needed — unless this is included as part of the package,” Durbin said.

Congress faces a Friday deadline to fund the government through the end of next September.

The Dream Act would grant "conditional permanent residency" to an estimated 1.8 million immigrants who arrived in the U.S. before age 18 and can meet requirements similar to those under the Obama administration’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

President Donald Trump dissolved the DACA program in September and set a March 5 deadline for Congress to act. By then, permits will begin to expire at a rate of nearly 1,000 per day.

“So far, I’ve gotten good responses. Not enough to say I’m confident yet but certainly to say I’m hopeful,” Durbin said.

He joined business, labor and faith leaders, and Rep. Dan Lipinski, D-3rd,who said he is working with a bipartisan group on immigration reform, at the Illinois Chamber of Commerce on Monday to rally support for the Dream Act.

“It’s only common sense that DACA recipients are given a real opportunity to become U.S. citizens,” Lipinski said. “Even President Donald Trump, at a time or two, has agreed with that.”

Come on guys DA is passing they just don't want the media to go wild!!.

This roller-coaster... Up, down, up, down...

is the 10 yr never citizen deal still on the table?

Up and down. Still not over. Don't lose hope!!!!!

shit, this is coming from Durbin. He is the guy doing all the talking and trying to reach a deal behind the door. He has the most up to date information and readily of the situation. I guess things aren't doing well behind the door.

I posted this quote on another thread. Obviously Durbin can't promise DREAM Act will pass. He doesn't control the entire process.

“So far, I’ve gotten good responses. Not enough to say I’m confident yet but certainly to say I’m hopeful,” Durbin said.


Catportal. Don't lose hope. He would be saying something worse. Consider this cautiously optimistic. We still have to wait and see what happens on Thursday.

I wouldn't say that. He said he's gotten good responses, but like swim said, he cannot guarantee the passage of the DA. Fingers crossed. Keep the pressure on.

What I understood is that things are going well, is just that we aren't still there. Hopefully by December 7 he gets more republicans to join him.