With action on comprehensive immigration reform stalled due to partisan politics, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has started talking about what can pass now, and he’s looking at the DREAM Act. The bipartisan legislation, which would give legal residency to undocumented youth under the condition they go to college or join the military, has the support of 70% of Americans.
Why has Reid decided to temporarily focus on DREAM rather than CIR? Because after Senate Democrats invited Republicans to negotiate a comprehensive reform bill this spring, no one showed up. In fact, the most likely candidate, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, called Democrats’ efforts to push for CIR, “a real cynical ploy.” But the DREAM Act, and AgJOBS, a measure to bring stability and security to America’s farm workforce, do have bipartisan support and could become law if Republicans are willing to work with Democrats to advance them.