Senate prospects dim for immigrants bill aimed at young

WASHINGTON - The Senate is expected to reject a House-approved path to legal status for hundreds of thousands of foreign-born youngsters brought to this country illegally.

Democrats face an uphill climb to gather the 60 votes needed in a vote expected Thursday to advance the so-called Dream Act over opposition by most Republicans and a handful of their own members.

The House passed the legislation Wednesday night after Democratic leaders painstakingly lined up the votes.

The measure is viewed by Hispanic activists and immigrant advocates as a down payment on what they had hoped would be broader action by President Barack Obama and Congress to give the nation's 10 million to 12 million undocumented immigrants a chance to gain legal status.

On Wednesday, the White House issued a statement of support for the bill that called the current immigration system "broken."

http://accesswdun.com/article/2010/12/234372