12/13/10 The mainstream media has done a pretty lousy job reporting what's next for the DREAM Act, writes Marisa Treviño of Latina Lista: "If ever there was an issue constantly lobbed at with distortions and falsehoods, the DREAM Act bill is one... Yet, there's nothing to be afraid of if these students are granted the opportunity to attend school or the military and join the U.S. workforce. It's been calculated by the Congressional Budget Office and the Joint Committee on Taxation that "enacting the bill would reduce deficits by about $2.2 billion over the 2011-2020 period."
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12/10/10 We're back with more reaction from Wednesday night following the House vote victory on the DREAM Act. Watch DREAM leader Lizbeth and immigration reform champion Rep. Luis Gutierrez.
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12/10/10 Trivia question for all you policy wonks: before the DREAM Act passed Wednesday night, when was the last time you read the headline, "House passes historic immigration bill?" Answer: December 16, 2005.
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12/10/10 Republican champion of the DREAM Act Senator Dick Lugar (R-IN) recently told POLITICO that he absolutely will vote yes on the DREAM Act, which is welcome news as advocates work to reach out to Republican swing votes: "After Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid delayed a test vote on the bill Thursday, Lugar said he had been prepared to vote "yes." And he indicated he'll support the bill when Reid brings it up again later this month."
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12/10/10 As the future of the DREAM Act remains in the hands of the United States Senate, the Spanish-language press reports today that the upper chamber's strategy of shelving the proposal in order to consider the version passed by the House of Representatives is breathing new life into the bill's prospects of becoming a reality.
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12/09/10 After watching the House of Representatives pass the DREAM Act yesterday, youth leaders gathered with members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) to thank their colleagues and Representatives for voting their conscience.
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12/09/10 After the historic victory yesterday in the House of Representatives, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid made a bold move today to shelve a vote on the Senate's original version of the DREAM Act. In doing so, he paved the way for the Senate to take up the House-passed version of the bill in the next few weeks.
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12/09/10 Yesterday we celebrated the historic passage of the DREAM Act in the House of Representatives. Now, advocates are turning up the heat on the Senate -- there is a first vote in less than an hour, and advocates should keep calling: 866-996-516.
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12/08/10 It's on, folks. The DREAM Act is slated to be voted on in both chambers of government today, and we're expecting a close vote in the House. Yesterday, DREAM backers delivered giant checks (for $2.3 billion) to Congress and continued to ramp up their contact with key Senate votes like Florida's Sen. George LeMieux and Senator Hutchison of Texas.
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12/08/10 Late this evening, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer announced that the House will take up the American DREAM Act on Wednesday, December 8th. Following is a statement from Frank Sharry, Executive Director of America's Voice: "The news that the House of Representatives will hold a vote on the DREAM Act on Wednesday is historic. The DREAM Act is supported by educators, the military, small business, organized labor, and religious leaders from across the spectrum. This is the most significant pro-immigrant legislation this chamber will have taken up in a decade. The young people who would benefit from the DREAM Act are patriotic high-achievers who just want a chance to become full citizens of the only country they call home.
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12/07/10 Today, a group of DREAM act youth and supporters arrived on Capitol Hill with giant checks to give out to lawmakers. Based on the Congressional Budget Office's report late last week, passing the DREAM Act would create $2.3 billion over the next 10 years in revenue and slash the deficit by $1.4 billion.
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12/07/10 It's official. Reid filed cloture on the DREAM Act yesterday, and the Senate is scheduled to vote tomorrow. The House is also likely to vote tomorrow on DREAM, so supporters should make calls to both the House and Senate all day today and early tomorrow -- every call counts: 866-967-6018 (English)
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12/07/10 The Spanish-language press reports today on the period before votes are scheduled in both houses of Congress on the DREAM Act, a bill which would legalize undocumented young people who wish to attend college or serve in the armed forces.
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12/06/10 Even as the House readies for a DREAM vote this week, Mike Lillis' latest piece on DREAM in The Hill paints a stark picture of the challenges the DREAM Act faces to garner conservative backers in the Senate. Lillis describes Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison's recent complaints about the bill:
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12/03/10 Today, Ohio Evangelical leaders came together to show their support for a talented young DREAM Act - elible man currently at risk of deportation. His name is Bernard Pastor, and he has been in detention for weeks now, as members of his church, school, and community rally their voices to free him.
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12/03/10 Just three months ago, in late September, immigration advocates and supporters saw Republican leaders in the Senate using the DREAM Act as an excuse not to pass the Defense Authorization Bill, an important piece of legislation that is primarily intended to set the policy for the Defense Department, despite it having been endorsed by a number of key officials.
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12/02/10 This just in -- a new Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimate of the DREAM Act shows that the legislation would increase revenues by $2.3 billion in the 2011-2020 period. After accounting for spending: CBO and JCT estimate that enacting the bill would reduce deficits by about $1.4 billion over the 2011-2010 period. More analysis soon, but here is the full CBO report:
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12/02/10 Secretary of Educatioin Arne Duncan sent a letter of support to Senator Majority Leader Harry Reid laying out his support for the DREAM Act. Secretary Duncan says, in part: "I strongly urge the Senate to pass this bill because I believe it will play an important part in our efforts to meet the Administration's goals of having the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020. Even more, it will allow these young people to live up to their fullest potential and contribute to the economic growth of our country. I look forward to working with you on this important issue."
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12/02/10 Last night on MSNBC, Congressman Gutierrez said that the House could be voting on the DREAM Act as early as tomorrow – watch his segment and call your Representative now.
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12/02/10 As the pressure intensifies in Congress to try to pass various bills in the lame-duck session, including the DREAM Act, several Spanish-language media outlets report on a new Republican effort to obstruct any legislative action unless Democrats agree to fund all government operations and extend the Bush tax cuts.
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12/02/10 Young people and Members of Congress gathered on Capitol Hill yesterday to tell their personal stories and urge Congress to support the DREAM Act. Cesar Vargas, Michelle Rodriguez, and Michael Nazario shared why they want to serve our country - their country - through military service. Rep. Joe Crowley (D-NY), Rep. Joe Baca (D-CA), Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), and Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) expressed their firm support for the measure as a bill that advances the American values of opportunity, education, and service.
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12/01/10 Yesterday, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush said that the Democrats are playing politics with the immigration issue "promising things that they're never going to deliver, knowing they're not going to deliver"—apparently referencing the upcoming DREAM Act debate in Congress. Let's rewind a little.
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12/01/10 Last night, in an effort to garner bipartisan support - and get this thing passed - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid introduced a new version of the DREAM Act bill. The new version makes compromises in response to the complaints many (mostly Republican) Senators had about the original bill. I'll be frank: the compromises make me wince. But, from what I'm hearing from those fighting to get this passed, they aren't deal-breakers. And this is our best shot to get the much-needed Republican votes in order to make the DREAM Act a reality. Here's a quick summary of the most notable changes:
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11/30/10 This morning, at the National Immigration Forum, I spent time with 20 of the most impressive young people I've ever met. They are DREAMers from all over the country who are here, in Washington, DC, to look Senators in the eye and ask them to support the DREAM Act.
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11/29/10 With both chambers of Congress planning to take up the DREAM Act this year, students who would benefit from the legislation are joining with labor and immigration reform advocates to announce the details of a six-figure ad buy in Spanish and English media. The ad campaign targets senators whose votes could be crucial to passing the DREAM Act.
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11/29/10 Cecilia Munoz, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, is scheduled to host a live, streaming online discussion on the DREAM Act beginning at around 3:00 pm EST on Monday, November 29.
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11/29/10 Did you slip into a turkey coma last week? This should get you up to speed, with a vote on the DREAM Act rapidly approaching. Prominent conservative voices are increasingly speaking up for the DREAM Act, even as the popular measure continues to weather attacks by certain hardline Senators. This new drumbeat of conservative voices further demonstrates the DREAM Act's bipartisan nature and its importance for future U.S. competitiveness.
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