The Democrat-controlled House of Representatives passed H.R. 6 on Thursday in a 228-197 vote, with nine Republicans joining them. The bill includes two main provisions, one of them, The Dream Act and The America Promise Act, would, if enacted, grant legal status to children who were brought to the United States illegally.
Advocates for the reform say it would give children brought to the country through no fault of their own, a path to citizenship. But opponents say the bill sends a message that illegal entry to the United States will be rewarded and encourages trafficking of minors to take advantage of loopholes in the immigration system.
