Immigration Bill Moves to Senate after Victory in the House

Washington D.C. – Late yesterday evening, in a historic bipartisan vote, the United States House of Representatives approved the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act. The First Focus Campaign for Children, a bipartisan children’s advocacy organization, praised leaders in the House for passing legislation that will create a brighter future for hundreds of thousands of U.S. raised immigrant children while helping America build an educated workforce capable of competing in a global economy. The Senate is expected to vote on the measure as early as today.

Bruce Lesley, President of the First Focus Campaign for Children, issued the following statement:

“We strongly support this legislation because it addresses the plight of innocent children and youth living in the United States who have found themselves held captive by our country’s broken immigration system. The DREAM Act will help ensure that every child has the opportunity to achieve his or her potential and fully contribute to our society. We applaud those legislators in the House who listened to the American public, ignored partisan rhetoric, and passed a bill that will improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of children.

“Every year, approximately 65,000 students graduating from American high schools face an uncertain future due to their legal status. Passing the DREAM Act will not only do right by children, but it will also strengthen our nation’s economy. According to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), enacting the DREAM Act would help reduce the nation’s deficit by $2.2 billion over the next ten years.

“We commend House leadership and Representatives Howard Berman (D-CA), Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), and Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) for their commitment to our country’s children. We also applaud the courage of the many immigrant youth whose tireless efforts made this first victory possible.

“We urge the Senate to build upon the momentum set forth by the House and ensure swift passage of this legislation. The DREAM Act is supported by leaders in education, the military, business, and religious orders, as well as a clear majority of the American people and members of the United States Senate.”