I rise to speak about S. 729, known as the DREAM Act. This is bipartisan immigration legislation that I have introduced with Republican Senator Dick Lugar of Indiana. Immigration is a controversial issue, but I hope there is one aspect of this debate that does not divide us: Innocent children should not be victims of our broken immigration system. That is why I introduced the DREAM Act almost 10 years ago. The DREAM Act would give a select group of immigrant students the chance to earn legal status if they grew up in the United States, have good moral character, and attend college or enlist in the military of our country. The DREAM Act has broad, bipartisan support. The last time the Senate considered the DREAM Act, it received 52 votes, including 11 Republicans, but we needed 60 votes under the Senate rules. It is clear, though, that a bipartisan majority in the Senate supports the DREAM Act. Since then, support for the DREAM Act has only grown, and the bill now has 40 cosponsors.
Editor's note · Context
Senator Durbin discusses the DREAM Act and its bipartisan support for immigrant students.
Share
More from Dick Durbin
It was the largest class action settlement against the federal government in the history of our nation.
Yesterday’s Supreme Court order is a temporary procedural win for President Trump as he attempts to pursue these lawless goals—but it doesn’t change the reality that the Constitution empowers states to run our elections, and the rule of…
Today’s news is devastating for the 2,500 skilled union workers impacted by the closure of the Tyson plant in Joslin, especially at a time when American families are struggling with the rising cost of living.
In the coming weeks, we remain committed to supporting our union members during this transition and working with Tyson to ensure that they have access to resources that support their return to work.





