The Senate Judiciary Committee was expected to vote on a bill last week that would grant legal status to high school students or graduates who are illegal immigrants. The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (or DREAM) Act is sponsored by the Committee's Chairperson, Republican Utah Senator Orrin Hatch, along with 35 others. The bill is supported by two-thirds of the committee members, but during Thursday's meeting, a few members of the Committee, including Republican Senators Jeff Sessions, John Kyl, John Cornyn and Saxby Chambliss, spoke out against the legislation and introduced some 30 amendments to effectively gut the bill.

After a 2 1/2 hour debate, Senator Hatch decided to postpone the issue until the Committee's next meeting, October 23. Hatch said the delay would allow time to review the amendments and see if the opposing sides could find a compromise.

The DREAM Act would allow U.S.-raised undocumented immigrant children to pay in-state college tuition and an opportunity to earn permanent residency. The bill would grant legal status to teenage undocumented aliens who have been in the United States before age 16, and at least five years before the bill is enacted, have graduated from high school, and have no criminal record. The bill also bans the deportation of young aliens and gives them six years to earn permanent resident status by either attending college for at least two years, serving in the military or performing community service.

"We have a choice to either keep these talented young people underground or give them a chance to contribute to the United States," Hatch said.

Republican opponents say the DREAM Act will encourage more illegal immigration.

"It sends the wrong message that America has immigration laws, but we don't intend to enforce them," Sessions said.

Hatch countered that it will not encourage more illegal immigration because it applies only to those who were in the country at least five years before the bill passes.

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