Skip to content

Senate may take action on the DREAM Act

After reporting on this site yesterday that the DREAM Act was all but dead for this year, the Senate Majority Leader announced that they will try to pass this measure that would grant citizenship to young adults in the country illegally.  Senate leadership hopes to attach the DREAM Act to the FY11 defense authorization bill, which is expected to be brought to the Senate floor next week.  The DREAM Act is largely a bipartisan, politically popular bill that would allow young illegal immigrants who graduate from US high schools and who were brought to the country as minors to attain citizenship if they go to college or serve in the military for at least two years.  Advocates see the DREAM Act as a key step in achieving reform that would enable an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants to gain citizenship.  Both Senators Murray and Cantwell (D-WA) have been sponsors of the DREAM Act and will likely support this effort.