By Daniel Newhauser | AZ Mirror
WASHINGTON — Legislation creating a path to citizenship for undocumented people brought to the U.S. as children faces a new border crisis and old partisan objections, diminishing the chances it will become law despite full Democratic control of Congress and the White House.
On Thursday, the U.S. House is poised to pass the American Dream and Promise Act, House Democrats’ version of the so-called DREAM Act.
It would provide a route to naturalized citizenship for the more than 700,000 residents shielded from deportation by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. The bill also includes access to legally protected statuses for millions more immigrants, including those with Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, designations.
Yet this measure, or indeed anything touching on the issue of immigration, will have trouble clearing the U.S. Senate, where filibuster rules mean most bills must gain the support of 60 senators to advance rather than a simple majority.
“The American Dream and Promise Act would offer more permanent solutions for this nations 700,000 plus Dreamers than the 2 year renewable work permits they are currently afforded through the DACA program. Democrats should realize by now that despite Republican opposition, national polls show bipartisan support for Dreamers- undocumented immigrants who were brought here as children through no fault of their own, grew up here, speak English, and work and live amongst Americans of nearly all walks of life. Whether Democrats can garner ten republican senate votes to pass filibuster, or can attempt to pass this legislation through budget reconciliation, it would be worth the political cost and a huge win for Dreamers, immigrants, and immigration advocates.”
Darius Amiri, Rose Law Group Law Dept. Chair
