Bill to Benefit Immigrant Youth Fails

None by KCPW

Hatch and Bennett Join Effort to Keep Debate Alive on DREAM Act

(KCPW News) A proposal offer young illegal immigrants legal status if they spend two years in the military or college came up eight votes short in the U.S. Senate today. Both Utah Senators Orrin Hatch and Bob Bennett voted to keep the so-called "DREAM Act" alive for debate. But opponents like Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania argued against the timing:

"I believe that the DREAM Act is a good act and that its purposes are beneficial," says Specter. "But I have great reservations about seeing a part of immigration reform go forward because it weakens our position to get a comprehensive bill."

That argument rings hollow for local Latino Activist Tony Yapias:

"We tried that earlier this year and they didn't want it," says Yapias. "We try to do it one at a time and they don't want that. We think the anti-immigrants have set their minds up to stall on it."

Senator Orrin Hatch actually initiated the DREAM Act five years ago to help undocumented youth pursue higher education. The measure was also tied to Utah's law allowing undocumented students to pay in-state tuition rates at state universities. State lawmakers are set to debate a measure this January that would repeal that tuition benefit.

Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom. Copyright 2008 KCPW