Senator Reid: Please Pass the Dream Act

The Center for American Progress Action Fund (CAPAF), the advocacy arm of Campus Progress’s parent organization, sent a letter to Sen. Harry Reid today urging him to pass the DREAM Act as “an important legislative stepping stone” toward comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). The DREAM Act would create a path to earned citizenship for young people who grew up in the US, graduate high school (or get a GED), stay out of trouble, and complete either two years of college or military service.

The letter comes, in part, after Reid told La Opinion last month that he was leaving it to advocates of CIR to tell him when to begin moving the DREAM Act—one part of CIR proposals—as a separate bill or amendment to a larger piece of legislation. "When we have enough groups telling me that we can't do it this year, then we will consider the Dream Act alone,” he said, “but we are not at that point now."

The list of organizations that support moving forward with the DREAM Act is getting pretty long. In addition to CAPAF, Reform Immigration for America, America’s Voice, League of United Latin American Citizens, and many other organizations advocating for CIR have come out in favor of moving on the DREAM Act this year as a down payment on broader reforms. Supporters, which include Campus Progress, hope that the Senate will take up the DREAM Act in September.

Pedro de la Torre III is a former Advocacy Senior Associate at Campus Progress.