From Immigration Caucus Chair Brian Bilbray’s office today:
CQ Today reported this morning that “Senate Democrats plan to use the defense authorization bill next week to revive a provision from the failed immigration overhaul that would put some children of illegal immigrants on a path to citizenship…Majority WHIP Richard J. Durbin, D-Ill., is expected to offer an amendment to the defense bill (HR 1585) that would attach legislation (S 774) to allow children of illegal immigrants who entered the United States before age 16 and have lived here at least five years to gain conditional legal status and eventual citizenship if they attend college or join the military for at least two years.”

Also reported was Senator Dianne Feinstein’s, D-Calif., intentions to try and bring to the floor S 1639, which would create a guest worker program for up to 1.5 million agricultural workers.

Congressman Brian Bilbray, R-Calif., Chairman of the Immigration Reform Caucus, is opposed to any proposal that would put more than 4 million illegal immigrants on a path to citizenship – representing close to one-third of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrant population that is currently in the United States. Regarding the agricultural workers bill – any guest-worker program that is adopted must be truly temporary where workers come from the outside in and then leave.

From FAIR

We have received reports from Congressional staffers that Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) intends to offer the DREAM Act as an amendment to the FY08 Department of Defense Authorization Bill (H.R.1585). Debate of this legislation and the Durbin Amendment is expected anytime next week! And, similar to the recent Senate Amnesty Bill, this is expected to be rushed through. Yesterday, Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) held a press conference alerting the Capitol press corps to the possibility that the DREAM Act would be resurrected. Calling the bill “amnesty” he said, “We may be headed for another immigration battle.”
The DREAM Act does two things: (1) it gives an amnesty to illegal aliens who entered the country as children and have met certain educational requirements and (2) it reverses current law to allow states to provide in-state tuition to illegal aliens. There were 25 co-sponsors for the bill when it was originally introduced in March so presumably one-fourth of the Senate has already committed to the bill. We are beginning to see the wheels in motion for an all-out battle.
The Dream Act is an amnesty plan disguised as an educational initiative. Even if the children only entered as the result of their illegal alien parents, it is illegal alien parents who are rewarded when their children become eligible to receive a U.S. education paid for by taxpayer dollars and are then granted amnesty.