On Thursday, two US Senators introduced a new bipartisan bill, that could give amnesty to undocumented immigrants who came to the US as children. Illinois Democrat Senator, Dick Durbin, and South Carolina Republican Senator, Lindsey Graham, have co-sponsored the 2017 Dream Act. It would give permanent amnesty to around a million young immigrants, often referred to as Dreamers.
The bill would apply to youngsters who have lived in the US for at least four years, and who came to the country before they were seventeen years of age. If successful, the bill would provide a lifeline for the youngsters who have already registered for the previous Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, created in 2012 under the Obama administration.
At the moment, the deferred action program appears to be in possible jeopardy. John Kelly, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), told Congressional Hispanic Caucus members last week that the DHS would not commit itself to legally defending the program. This is because their lawyers say it is unlikely to survive a legal challenge, promised by as many as ten state senators, who have promised to take President Donald Trump to court unless he has the Obama executive order rescinded by 5 September this year.
Durbin and Graham have sponsored various iterations of the Dream Act since President George W Bush was in office, but Congress has failed to agree on a definitive version.