The Dream Bill has been blocked in the Senate, dashing hopes of thousands of young migrants.
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20 December 2010
Senate blocks US Visa Dream bill for immigrant youth
The US Senate has blocked the Dream Act, effectively killing hopes of the legislation for the remainder of the year and perhaps years to come.
The Dream bill would have temporary US residency for the children of illegal immigrants, who were brought in the country under the age of 16, who pursue higher education or perform military service. The foreign-born children would have to have lived in the United States for at least five years.
The bill was considered an initial step towards comprehensive US Visa and immigration reform that would resolve the status of more than 12 million illegal aliens in the United States, some two million of whom arrived as minors.
Democratic Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois said those who would have benefited under the Dream Act are Americans in everything but legal paperwork.
The House of Representatives passed the Dream Act earlier this month, and while it was believed that there were enough votes to pass the bill through the Senate this year, it fell five votes short of the three-fifths majority needed to overcome a Republican-led procedural motion blocking a final vote.
The American Visa Bureau is an independent consulting company specialising in helping people with their ESTA applications to the US Embassy .
