Dems roll out DREAM Act No. 5

By: Scott Wong
December 1, 2010 08:25 PM EST

Senate Democrats have introduced their fifth version of the DREAM Act this year in a bid to tackle concerns from critics and win support from a handful of moderate lawmakers from both parties.

But the immigration legislation continues to draw fire from opponents and face stiff odds in the lame-duck session – and this was even before Republicans vowed Wednesday to filibuster all bills until the Senate votes to extend Bush-era tax cuts and fund the federal government.

The DREAM Act would provide a path to legalization for immigrants who were brought to the country illegally as children, if they go to college or serve in the military for at least two years.

The latest version, filed by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) late Tuesday night, would bar illegal immigrants from receiving in-state college tuition; drops the age of eligibility to 29 from 34; would not grant permanent legal status to anyone for at least 10 years; would restrict eligibility for those who commit certain misdemeanor crimes; and would limit individuals from being able to sponsor family members for U.S. citizenship, among other changes.

Those who receive conditional legal status under the DREAM Act also would be ineligible for Medicaid, food stamps and other government-funded benefits.

The new bill “simply is an effort to deal with any potential costs estimates [to] make it revenue-neutral,â€