Out of White House, Rahm Emanuel pushes hard for DREAM Act

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel endorsed the DREAM Act on Monday, on the eve of the first-ever Senate hearing on the legislation. “The DREAM Act . . . totally reinforces the values of citizenship,” said Emanuel in a phone conference alongside Education Secretary Arne Duncan.

Emanuel, whose father and grandfather were immigrants, has had a complicated history with immigration reform, once calling it a “third rail” issue.

During last year’s mayoral race, Emanuel was criticized by his opponents for failing to do more to push the DREAM Act and other immigration measures during his time in the White House.

He has also had a rocky relationship with members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, who said his fingerprints were on the exclusion of undocumented immigrants from healthcare reform bill.

Tuesday’s Senate hearing, which will be chaired by longtime advocate Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), comes at a time when the political prospects of the long-deferred DREAM Act are slim. A version of the measure passed the House during last year’s lame-duck session, but came up five votes short of passage in the Senate.

The act would establish a legal path to citizenship for undocumented college students and active-duty military. It was reintroduced by Senate Democrats last month.