On Feb. 15, the Senate failed to pass legislation based on President Trump's proposal that would have made major changes to the legal immigration system, built a border wall and provided citizenship for about half the Dreamers in the U.S., according to www.nbcnews.com.
The measure was one of three proposals the Senate voted on that would have addressed the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, but it received the least support. Slightly more than one-third of the Senate—39 senators—voted for the measure, including 14 Republicans.
The inability of the Senate to pass the measure or two other proposals with bipartisan support demonstrates Congress is stagnating regarding a solution for Dreamers.
The Senate voted 54-45—short of the 60-vote threshold necessary—to pass one bipartisan agreement that was a pared-down version of Trump's.
The bipartisan measure used Trump's proposal as a framework, including a path to citizenship for 1.8 million Dreamers. However, it stated the $25 billion for border security would be allocated over 10 years instead of provided upfront. It also refrained from drastically reducing family-based migration and ending the diversity visa lottery as Trump proposed in his plan. It instead would have prohibited Dreamers who gain legal status from sponsoring their parents.
Republicans and Democrats faced political pressure regarding the legislation. Despite senators from both parties saying they want a solution, they couldn't come to an agreement. A version of the legislation authored by Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) would provide a path to citizenship for 1.8 million Dreamers but would not provide money for a border wall; the measure failed with the support of 52 senators, including just three Republicans.
