he latest bipartisan border security bill, up for Senate vote, threatens to dim the pathways to citizenship for numerous individuals brought to the United States unlawfully during childhood, often referred to as “Dreamers.” This setback appears amidst Congress taking a stricter stance on immigration reforms.
Regarded as a priority by Democrats for more than a decade, the Dreamers’ cause has once again hit a roadblock. In the midst of legislative negotiations, which included discussion on aid for U.S. allies such as Ukraine and Israel, Republicans insisted on new border restrictions. This condition left the matters surrounding Dreamers off the negotiating table.
Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin expressed his disappointment over the inability to include Dreamers in recent talks, facing outright rejection by the Republicans at the beginning of the discussions. Durbin, highlighting the political impasse, mentioned some Republican colleagues’ uncompromising stance against any form of immigration concession.
Concurrently, doubts loom over the likelihood of Dreamer-focused legislation in the foreseeable future, a sentiment echoed by several Republican lawmakers.
Despite a lack of progress on this issue, Senator Chris Murphy—one of the bill’s negotiators — acknowledges the need for further reform. “We still have work to do, like providing a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and other undocumented people, but this bill is an important downpayment on immigration reform,” Murphy stated.
However, the bill’s enactment is far from a certainty, contending with opposition from both political flanks. The GOP-dominated House, coupled with former President Trump’s criticisms of related policies, adds to the uncertainty of legislative adoption.
Presently, nearly 545,000 Dreamers benefit from temporary protection under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.
