U.S. Senate voted 55-41 Dec. 18 to not advance a vote on the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act to the floor.
The DREAM Act would have provided affordable post-secondary education and military service opportunities for undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children, have lived here for at least five years and have graduated from high school. The U.S. House passed the DREAM Act.
Joanne Lin, ACLU legislative counsel, said in a press release, "It's extremely disappointing, as well as contrary to American values of fairness and equality, that young people will be deprived of opportunities for education, growth and service because the Senate failed to pass this bill."
Chicago mayoral candidate Miguel del Valle said, "I am deeply disappointed in the Senate's failure to pass the DREAM Act today. The piece of legislation, which proposed to create a path to citizenship for undocumented students who go to college or enter the military, would have been life changing for the countless Chicagoans who are not yet citizens.
"I commend Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), for his leadership and tireless efforts to pass the DREAM Act. And we should all be proud of the courageous young DREAM activists who fought so hard to advance this bill.
"I cannot say the same for Sen. Mark Kirk (D-IL), who, in voting to block this bill, has failed thousands of his own constituents."