Gov. Pat Quinn (D-IL) to sign Illinois Dream Act.

[pampango]

http://skokie.patch.com/articles/dream-act-to-come-true-in-illinois

Thrusting the state into the middle of the heated immigration debate, Gov. Pat Quinn is expected to sign in the coming weeks the Illinois DREAM Act that offers as many as 95,000 undocumented youths better access to higher education. Democratic leaders throughout Illinois, including in Chicago, have welcomed the legislation.

State Rep. Daniel Biss (D-Skokie), who represents several North Shore towns wth large ethnic populations, told Skokie Patch that the legislation would have long-term economic benefits for the state. "I supported the bill because it's a step toward enabling individuals who have done nothing wrong to maximize their opportunity to contribute to the Illinois economy," Biss said.

State Sen. Jeff Schoenberg (D-Evanston), one of the legislative co-sponsors, had told reporters the bill "illustrates exactly what is great about this country" by providing opportunity for children of immigrants "to achieve a better future through higher education."

Now the fight goes back to Washington, D.C., where a new DREAM Act bill was introduced in May by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV). A previous effort to pass federal legislation--first introduced in 2001--was deflated in December after it got through the House but failed to clear the Senate. Navoa said given the "political climate" in the U.S. Congress, it is unlikely that a bill will be passed soon.

Good to see that Illinois has joined Maryland and California in passing a state DREAM Act. All the Democratic states that do this are handling the problem in a much more progressive manner than those republican Southern states, e.g. Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Louisiana, that pass their "Nightmare Act" state immigration laws.

[CarmanK]

1. A similar bill passed in MD, but is going to referendum in 2012.

Because of the new technology used to gather petition signatures, the repugs have successfully brought the MD Dream ACT to referendum. I am so glad I live in a state dominated by dems. The repugs don't know how to govern and are so filled with envy and hatred and afraid of change that they keep hurting themselves and others.

[pampango]

4. The repubs/teabaggers behind the referendum drive plan to use it against gay marriage

which they expect to pass in the next session of the Maryland legislature.

Wonder if Illinois repubs/teabaggers will go the referendum route?

[jaxx]

2. Well done Illinois.

We are on the path forward.

[Ragnarok]

3. As long as...

...it remains privately funded, I don't see why anyone can complain. :shrug: