Today’s top story in the Spanish-language press is Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-NV) announcement yesterday that he plans to introduce the DREAM Act, which would legalize undocumented youth, as an amendment to the defense appropriations bill to be debated in the Senate next week.
Senate to vote on DREAM. The press notes that Senator Mitch McConnell, leader of the chamber’s Republican minority, warned that the DREAM Act amendment was not pertinent to the debate over the defense bill—even though the measure includes a path to legalization for young people who enlist in the military (or complete at least two years of college).
The articles also allude to the theory that Democrats are moving the DREAM Act forward for political ends—to attract the Latino vote even though comprehensive immigration reform still has not been passed. The AP (via Univision.com) writes that:
“some critics maintain that Democrats’ interest in passing an immigration-reform measure at the end of the year is a political tactic. Reid faces a tough bid for re-election against Republican Sharron Angle, a member of the tea-party movement who supports stricter immigration laws. Hispanics constitute a quarter of Nevada’s population.”
La Opinión, EFE, El Nuevo Herald (Miami), Notimex, Télam, and Prensa Latina (Las Vegas), among other outlets, also cover the story. AOL Latino publishes an article by Maribel Hastings of America’s Voice on the topic.
