Passing of DREAM Act is very unlikely in next Congress, Republicans say

[The Northerner]

Congressional Republicans are pronouncing President Obama's proposal that the next Congress overhaul the country's immigration laws as dead before arrival.

In his year-end news conference on Wednesday, Obama said his biggest regret about the recent lame-duck session of Congress was the defeat of the DREAM Act, a measure that offered a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants brought to the country as children.

"It is heartbreaking," Obama said, as he explained how such immigrants often realized that they were without legal status only when they tried to go to college or join the military. "That can't be who we are. To have our kids, classmates of our children, who are suddenly under this shadow of fear through no fault of their own. They didn't break the law - they were kids."

Congressional Republicans said in interviews on Thursday that their concerns about the measure remained strong, and both House and Senate GOP leaders said they would fight any attempt to legalize any of the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the country before the administration secured the nation's southern border with Mexico.

"It is pointless to talk about any new immigration bills that grant amnesty until we secure the border, since such bills will only encourage more illegal immigration," incoming House Judiciary Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Tex.) said in a statement.

In an interview, Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), the ranking Republican on the House immigration subcommittee, accused Obama of playing politics with immigration and toying with Latino voters.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/23/AR2010122303480.html


More BS from the repukelicans, again! I wonder what their reactions will be when they're proven wrong?

I'll also bet anything that the DREAM Act & immigration reform pass overwhelmingly in both chambers during the next session. :)

They'll be steamrolled in 2011!

[RZM]

1. I don't see that happening

Perhaps if the DREAM Act is included in a major immigration reform bill it could pass, but the jury's out on whether or not we'll see that in 2011. Without being hitched to a larger bill, the DREAM Act has zero chance of revival.

[Liberal_in_LA]

3. zero chance?

[RZM]

5. Maybe not zero chance of another attempt

But I don't see how it could pass with an even more Republican Congress. IMO, it' only getting through as part of a larger package. We might see that in 2011, though I imagine that will be a hearty debate within the Obama camp -- don't be surprised if we don't see immigration reform legislation in 2011. I say it's even money whether a bill even comes up next year and even money again on whether or not it passes.

[jwirr]

2. The only way this is going to happen is probably after a successful

election and we hold both houses and the WH. When that will ever happen again is anyones guess. If the repugs screw up enough in the house in the next to years if we are lucky. The real hope lies in the increase of minority voters in our party who come out in elections. Sooner or later we should outnumber the repugs. I hope.

[gratuitous]

4. But please Latino voters, vote for Republicans!

Nice to see that the GOP isn't "toying" with Latino voters; they just out-and-out don't want their votes! Their statement, conveyed via deeds, is just about as clear as it could be.

[Motown_Johnny]

6. The Senate and the President should push for Immigration reform

just to force the (R)s to fight against it.

[Cutatious]

7. Maybe the plan was to wait until the repubs craft an amnesty bill

and take credit for it instead of Democrats getting the accolades. The maybe they think they will get millions of Latino voters in exchange for citizenship and voting rights.

[UTUSN]

8. So, why would ANY Hispanic *ever* vote Rethug?!1 n/t

[customerserviceguy]

10. Cubans tend to

But they don't have to do anything other than set a 'dry foot' on US soil to automatically qualify for residence. Puerto Ricans don't even have to do that, they're automatically citizens.

[customerserviceguy]

9. Strip out the student part

leave the military service part, and you might see it get passed in the next Congress.

[Mosaic]

11. Why?

Because they're all a bunch of damn racists, all but a handful of them.

But this is Steve King, king of the morons speaking. I agree with your optimism.