Senate Expected to Vote on Immigration Bill this Week

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is expected to hold a vote either late this week or next week on the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act.  This bill would give undocumented young people who were brought to the United States before age 16 a chance to qualify for legal status if they attend(ed) U.S. colleges or serve(d) in the U.S. military. For those who have been in the country for at least 5 years, are less than 30 years old on the date of enactment, and who meet various factors, such as not having a criminal record, paying all back taxes and providing biometric data to the Department of Homeland Security, the bill grants conditional nonimmigrant status for 10 years followed by three years as a Legal Permanent Resident prior to applying for naturalization.  This bill passed the House 216-198 on December 8, 2010.   It is not expected that Senator Reid will be able to succeed in getting 60 votes needed to invoke cloture on the bill.  For more information, contact Kelly Knott at (202) 547-4685 or knottk@agc.org.