DREAM ACT CAUGHT UP IN POLITICAL NIGHTMARE; DADT MAY NOT SURVIVE TODAY

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell argues that the Dream Act legislation is a way to prioritize the education of the country's young people: "America is going to be a minority nation in one more generation. Our minorities are not getting educated well enough now. Fifty percent of our minority kids are not finishing high school. We've got to invest in education."

Above:  The CSEA Local 828 2010 George M. Growney college scholarship award winners and their friends may find the going tough when they finally graduate from their university and college programs.  Will there be jobs and citizenship in their future?  (photo by Bess Watts)

Washington, D.C.-- Republican senators are threatening to filibuster the defense authorization bill (with a vote expected later today, within just a few hours), in part because Senator Harry Reid tacked on the immigration-related DREAM ACT as an amendment.

Though the bill's other controversial amendment -- enacting the repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" military ban on openly gay service -- has grabbed most of the media's attention, the DREAM Act (whose acronym stands for Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors) has been on the immigration reform agenda for more than 10 years. If it wins passage, it will put almost a million young people on the path to citizenship.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid did not know if they had enough votes to pass the bill as of last night.  Sources say that Senate Democrats will not get support from some of the Blue-Dog Democrats, including Senator Jim Webb of Virgina.

Democratic leaders are said to be counting Webb as a no vote against blocking a promised Republican filibuster this week on legislation that would end the policy that enforces workplace discrimination in the military.

So what is this bill?

The DREAM Act has actually been floating around Congress for almost 10 years now, and was first introduced by Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, who now opposes the measure. The idea behind the bill is to give people who were under 16 when they entered the United States the opportunity to become legal residents. Those who have a GED or high school degree, have lived in the United States for at least five years, and are younger than 35 would be eligible for conditional legal status for six years. During that time, they would have to graduate from two years of college or honorably serve two or more years in the military. Then they would qualify for U.S. citizenship.

Participants would not be able to travel abroad for lengthy periods and would not qualify for federal Pell Grants to help pay for college. They also could not acquire criminal records.

Who's against the bill?

Though in 2007 the bill fell only eight votes short of the 60-vote threshold to stave off a filibuster threat, many Republicans who supported the measure then have now come out against it.

What's the argument against it?

Opponents argue that the bill provides amnesty. They also say that it's a "political" move on Reid's part to tack it onto the defense bill, since it doesn't concern defense funding. But military officials have long pushed for the DREAM Act as a way to boost recruitment.

"Democrats are trying to check a box with Hispanic voters at the expense of our men and women in uniform," Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina told Politico. "It's very unfortunate they are planning to use the defense bill in such a fashion." Graham had formerly been a pivotal supporter of immigration reform in the Senate.

Meanwhile, two former sponsors of the DREAM Act, Hatch and fellow Utah GOP Sen. Bob Bennett, have said they now oppose the measure.  Go figure.

What's the argument for it?

Some people brought into the country illegally when they were children have no idea they are not citizens, and were raised as Americans. This bill would prevent young people in this position who want to get higher education or serve the United States from being deported after the country has often already invested in their grade-school education.

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell argues that the legislation is a way to prioritize the education of the country's young people: "America is going to be a minority nation in one more generation. Our minorities are not getting educated well enough now. Fifty percent of our minority kids are not finishing high school. We've got to invest in education."

How many people might become citizens if it's enacted?

The nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute estimated this summer that about 2.1 million people would qualify for the program, but that only 825,000 would actually gain citizenship at the end of the six-year period. Not all those who qualified would be able to afford college or vocational school for the required two years.