Child Immigrant Amnesty Bill Dies in Senate

Failure of Dream Act highlights controversy over immigration
By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 25, 2007 2:42 AM CDT
Child Immigrant Amnesty Bill Dies in Senate
Students and immigrants march toward the Federal Building carrying a sign that calls for passing the Dream Act, a bill that would open a path to immigration for college-bound students who have lived most of their lives in the United States but lack legal immigrant status across from Union Square in...   (Associated Press)

The Senate couldn't muster needed votes to debate the "Dream Act," a measure that would have established a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants brought to the US as children. Criticized as just "another amnesty bill" by Senate Republicans, the measure had been included in the comprehensive immigration reform that failed to pass this summer.

The measure would have required young immigrants to graduate from high school and proceed to college or the military in order to qualify. The vote was split 52-44, with eight Democrats joining a mostly Republican push to block the measure. "I'm not going to quit on this," vowed Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, who originated the bill. (More Dick Durbin stories.)

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