I sure hope Senator Al Franken (D. MN) is right about this:
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/...
Minnesota Sen. Al Franken anticipates the federal immigration overhaul will contain the so-called DREAM Act that's geared toward speeding citizenship for young illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as children.
Franken isn't intimately involved in immigration deliberations in the Senate, but the Democratic lawmaker said Tuesday he ``can't imagine'' that negotiators will craft a bill without the accommodation for younger people. He says discussions have come down to far more thorny issues.
The DREAM Act has repeatedly been hung up in Washington, including a stall in the Democratic-led Senate in 2010. - Minnesota Public Radio, 4/2/13
Franken is a big supporter of the DREAM Act and has been talking about it a lot with Governor Mark Dayton (D. MN) as they are discussing financial aid for college students:
http://www.twincities.com/...
Gov. Mark Dayton and U.S. Sen. Al Franken, both Democrats, listened to students and administrators gathered at St. Paul College talk about the need for more federal and state aid to help those in need get their degrees.
On the issue of immigration, Franken said he expects the federal overhaul will contain the so-called DREAM Act (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors), which would speed up citizenship for young illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as children. The senator supports the change, but it has been stalled in Congress for years.
Minnesota is one of several states that have been considering its own version, which would allow those living in the country illegally to pay in-state tuition at public universities if they graduate from high school in Minnesota and apply to legalize their immigration status as soon as possible.
The state bill, which also opens access to some financial aid, passed a Senate committee last month. It also has a hearing scheduled in a House committee this week. Dayton reiterated his support for the DREAM Act, noting he voted for the federal version almost a decade ago when he was a U.S. senator.
At Monday's roundtable discussion, Yessica Rodriguez of St. Paul talked about her experience as a first-generation student. She took college courses in high school, but couldn't take advantage of any grants or loans because of her alien status. But she was able to secure scholarships through private organizations and Augsburg College, where she is now a sophomore. Rodriguez also works 30 hours a week.
"If it wasn't for my scholarships, I wouldn't know how I would pay for college," Rodriguez said. - Pioneer Press, 4/2/13
President Obama sounded optimistic about the chances of congress passing a comprehensive immigration reform plan:
http://thehill.com/...
President Obama said Thursday he's "very optimistic" Congress will pass comprehensive immigration reform in the coming months, but conceded it's "going to be tougher" to push through a gun control measure.
Speaking to a small group of donors outside San Francisco, Obama once again discussed the urgency of passing gun control legislation, nearly four months after 20 students and six educators were killed at a Connecticut elementary school.
"I'm very optimistic that we get immigration reform done in the next few months," Obama told a crowd of donors in Atherton, Calif., where he is fundraising for Democratic candidates. "It's going to be tougher to get gun legislation to reduce gun violence through the Senate and the House that so many of us, I think, want to see, particularly after the tragedy at Newtown." - The Hill, 4/4/13
Hopefully we'll see a comprehensive plan from the Gang of 8 after they return from their break. Senator Franken has always been a reliable vote on immigration issues and he is serious about seeing something like the DREAM Act become a reality. Lets make sure he has the resources for 2014 so he can continue to fight for great immigration policies like the DREAM Act:
https://secure.actblue.com/...