Senators unveil bipartisan bill to protect Dreamers amid uncertainty over DACA
Samantha-Jo Roth
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A bipartisan pair of senators is reintroducing the DREAM Act on Friday, days after President Joe Biden called for lawmakers to find common ground on immigration reform during his State of the Union address.
Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC), the two highest-ranking members on the Judiciary Committee, are re-upping legislation that would give young undocumented immigrants a pathway to legal residency. The two senators have introduced the bill for many years without success.
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The legislation would allow those who were brought to the United States as children to earn residency and then would eventually allow them to become citizens.
The push to enact immigration reform comes as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program is being challenged in the courts, raising fears it could be scrapped. DACA, created by then-President Barack Obama, allows Dreamers to work legally and protects them from deportation.
“Dreamers are teachers, nurses, and small business owners in our communities, but because DACA hangs by a thread in the courts, they live each day in fear of deportation,” Durbin said in a statement. “It is clear that only Congress can give them the stability they deserve and a path to lawful permanent residence.”
It has been three decades since Congress passed large-scale immigration reform. Ever since, more targeted legislation, executive orders, and court rulings have defined public policy on the issue.
Many Republicans, specifically those in the House, would like to see a crackdown to shrink asylum claims, end illegal crossings at the border, and deport undocumented immigrants. Democrats are focused on securing protections for DACA recipients and providing resources for immigrants seeking asylum.
The Biden administration has pledged to defend DACA and has supported immigration reform, but it is unlikely that any proposed legislation will make it to the president’s desk in a divided Congress.
Congressional Republicans typically attempt to tie immigration reform to tighter enforcement at the U.S. border.
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“While I continue to support relief for Dreamers, I hope my Democratic colleagues understand we must repair a broken border and address a tsunami of illegal immigration before that is remotely possible,” Graham said.
Last year, Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) worked on a framework for legislation that would couple the “Dreamers” legislation with increased resources for border security. The framework is likely to serve as a launching pad as senators resume efforts to enact immigration reform.