News Update - September 22, 2007
By Alan Lee, Esq.†‡
Outlook on DREAM ACT Looking More Positive
Picking up steam under the leadership of author Senator Richard
Durbin (D- Ill), the DREAM Act may be an achievement in immigration
reform that this Congress can enact. Senator Durbin introduced the
legislation (S.A. 2919) on Friday, 9/21/07 in the Senate as an amendment
to the 2008 Department of Defense Authorization Bill (H.R. 1585).
Hopes have been raised before and dashed, but pressure is now building
for concrete action, and the outlook appears more positive than
in prior attempts to enact the legislation.
The legislation is “narrowly tailored” according to
Senator Durbin and should not upset restrictionists or enforcement
advocates. The DREAM Act would benefit young people (under 30) who
grew up in the USA (entered before age 16). Students who attended
or who are in attendance in high school or college could be given
immediate relief as conditional residents with its passage and become
eligible to adjust status to permanent residence at a later date.
If the provision survives in the Senate bill (requires 60 votes),
the chances of final passage would be good as the legislation is
largely non-controversial and H.R. 1585 is originally a House bill.
There is thus no need to find companion legislation in the House
of Representatives. For more information see http://thomas.loc.gov.
You can contact your Senator by visiting our home page and scrolling
down to the Contact Congress Icon provided by the American Immigration
Lawyers Association.
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