In 2001, #Durbin introduced the #DreamAct w/Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), in an effort to create a path to #citizenship for younger #undocumented #immigrants who had been brought to the US as children. It never became #law, but it laid the foundation for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals [#DACA] program, which was announced by President #Obama in 2012 & protected hundreds of thousands of immigrants from #deportation. #Trump has tried to end the program, & it remains under legal threat.

Under the version of the bill considered by the Senate, illegal immigrants would be eligible for legal status if they came to the US before the age of 16, were under the age of 30, lived in the US for five consecutive years, passed a criminal background test, and obtained a high school diploma or GED.

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@Joaquincastrotx The first time we heard of #DreamAct, later #DACA, was on a draft circulated by Gutierrez, then Durbin & Hatch around 2000. Then Lugar and Hagel...we been dealing with this for over 2 decades and Congress has failed to pass a bill each time, so it could be a chance to finally get it done.