Although the midterm elections have come and gone, there does not seem to be a consensus as to how the results might affect the prospects of immigration reform. Some immigration reform proponents now fear they will have an even more difficult challenge ahead of them, while others believe that the new Congress will actually improve the chances of passing legislation in the coming session.
While there is no clear answer to the question of how immigration reform will proceed, the stakes are certainly high and legislators continue to be pressured to make changes to immigration law. One set of proposed changes to the law is the DREAM Act, which would grant permanent resident status to certain illegal aliens who grad
uate from high school in the U.S. but would otherwise be deported. Leaders of the Hispanic community still maintain hope that the DREAM Act will be passed at some point in the near future.
At the same time, immigration reform continues to factor in as an important issue at the state level as well. In addition to Arizona’s State Bill 1070 – which would have given law enforcement officers the ability to check the status of individuals believed to be in the U.S. illegally – 25 additional states are now considering similar legislative proposals. Lawmakers in Texas, for instance, are considering legislation that would allow law enforcement to inquire as to the immigration status of individuals who are placed under arrest.
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