Their chances were slim, but thousands of illegal immigrant teens and young adults saw their best opportunity to become United States citizens vanish on Saturday when the Senate rejected the Dream Act on a vote of 55-41, shy of the 60 supporters needed.
The measure, to give the students the chance to earn legal status, passed the House last week, after a frenzied lobbying effort on the part of Hispanic and immigrant activists. The activity didn’t let up since then, with White House cabinet officials, Catholic bishops, educators, and union officials, among the groups pleading with Senate Republicans to let this one bill go to the president before its window of opportunity closed.
Next year, the Dream Act won’t see the light of day with the House under GOP control. Republicans charged with immigration—Lamar Smith of Texas and Steve King of Iowa—are firmly opposed to legislation giving any illegal immigrant a path to citizenship until they feel the borders are under control. They want tougher enforcement of employers who hire undocumented workers and more money for border enforcement.
The immigrant advocates’ lobbying efforts weren’t enough to convince a few Senate Republicans to go against their party officials and vote for the bill. Several Republicans who supported the Dream Act in the past—like Sens. Orrin Hatch of Utah, Sam Brownback of Kansas, and Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas--have tacked to the right on immigration since conservative voters revolted in 2006 and 2007 when a much broader bill was being debated. (The comprehensive immigration bill died on the Senate floor in 2007.) Hutchison, Hatch, and Brownback all voted "No."
http://www.nationaljournal.com/senate-rejects-dream-act-20101218
The measure, to give the students the chance to earn legal status, passed the House last week, after a frenzied lobbying effort on the part of Hispanic and immigrant activists. The activity didn’t let up since then, with White House cabinet officials, Catholic bishops, educators, and union officials, among the groups pleading with Senate Republicans to let this one bill go to the president before its window of opportunity closed.
Next year, the Dream Act won’t see the light of day with the House under GOP control. Republicans charged with immigration—Lamar Smith of Texas and Steve King of Iowa—are firmly opposed to legislation giving any illegal immigrant a path to citizenship until they feel the borders are under control. They want tougher enforcement of employers who hire undocumented workers and more money for border enforcement.
The immigrant advocates’ lobbying efforts weren’t enough to convince a few Senate Republicans to go against their party officials and vote for the bill. Several Republicans who supported the Dream Act in the past—like Sens. Orrin Hatch of Utah, Sam Brownback of Kansas, and Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas--have tacked to the right on immigration since conservative voters revolted in 2006 and 2007 when a much broader bill was being debated. (The comprehensive immigration bill died on the Senate floor in 2007.) Hutchison, Hatch, and Brownback all voted "No."
http://www.nationaljournal.com/senate-rejects-dream-act-20101218