WASHINGTON — Immigration officers are unlikely to take extraordinary steps to arrest young people in the country illegally should the DREAM Act fail in the Senate.
Assistant Homeland Security Secretary John Morton said Friday in a conference call with reporters that immigration officers will continue their focus on immigrants who have committed crimes or are a threat to the public. He said they will handle cases of noncriminal immigrants on a case-by-case basis.
The Senate has scheduled a vote today on the DREAM Act, which would give provisional legal status to illegal immigrants brought to the country as children. The House approved the bill last week. Many young illegal immigrants have been pressing Congress to pass the bill in public demonstrations.
Opponents say the legislation is “backdoor amnesty” that encourages more people to come to the country illegally or overstay their time-limited visas.
The Associated Press
