The Dream Act

[struggle4progress]

by Richard Ruelas - Nov. 16, 2010 11:08 AM
The Arizona Republic

The Dream Act, introduced in 2001, has been proposed in front of every Congress since. In 2007, it reached the floor of the Senate but failed on a procedural vote.

In September, it was attached as a provision in a defense bill and failed on a procedural vote. Both Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., the majority leader, and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., the House speaker, have said they would push for its passage during the lame-duck congressional session that began this week ...

To be eligible for consideration, the "alien" must have been present in the United States continually for at least five years and must have entered the country before the age of 16. The Senate version said applicants must be under age 35 on the date of the law's enactment.

The applicants would be awarded conditional permanent residency if they are of good moral character and have graduated from high school or obtained a GED ...

http://www.azcentral.com/news/azliving/articles/2010/11/16/20101116dream-act-bill-about.html

[struggle4progress]

1. Pro-immigration reform Democrats to meet with Obama

By Elise Foley 11/16/10 9:33 AM

President Obama will meet with pro-immigration reform Democrats — Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Reps. Nydia Velasquez (D-N.Y.) and Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) — this afternoon to discuss immigration plans for the lame-duck session. The meeting will be a follow-up to a September meeting with the three Democrats, where Obama pledged support for comprehensive immigration reform and the DREAM Act. That time, they were hoping for the White House’s support to push senators to vote for the DREAM Act as part the defense authorization bill — an effort that failed when Republicans filibustered the bill.

Now, the stakes are somewhat different: In the lame-duck session, Democrats are up against tight time constraints and an additional Republican senator, the recently elected Mark Kirk from Illinois, to pass any immigration bills. But Menendez still says the DREAM Act, which would allow some undocumented students and military service members to gain legal status, should be the fallback to passing a far more contentious comprehensive immigration reform bill ...

http://washingtonindependent.com/103521/pro-immigration-reform-democrats-to-meet-with-obama

[ProgressiveProfessor]

2. If they do not get in during the lame duck session, its not going to happen

I may still be blocked, but it will be harder to call