The election has strengthened President Obama’s hand on immigration,
and Dream Act organizers said it likely means a flood of hundreds of
thousands of new applications for his nondeportation policy — but it’s
not clear that anything has changed in the decade-long stalemate in Congress on the issue.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, said Wednesday that he will insist the upper chamber hold votes on immigration legislation.
He called the issue “very, very high” on his to-do list, after Hispanics voted overwhelmingly for Mr. Obama on Tuesday.
Exit polls showed the president winning 71 percent of Hispanics, which is up from the 67 percent he won in 2008 in the rapidly expanding voter bloc. Basking in those numbers, immigration rights advocates said they are eager to collect the rewards of their support.
“It’s time for Latinos to cash their check for the Dream Act and for immigration reform,” said Cesar Vargas, who has applied for Mr. Obama’s nondeportation policy.
But he said the president’s victory likely will mean a flood of applications from other young adults who had waited, fearful that they would be judged by a less-lenient Romney administration than by Mr. Obama’s.
For the past decade, immigration has been stymied in Congress, including failed attempts in 2006 and 2007 with President Bush. Mr. Obama promised to take action during his first term, but instead tackled health care, the economy, climate change and financial regulations.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, said Wednesday that he will insist the upper chamber hold votes on immigration legislation.
He called the issue “very, very high” on his to-do list, after Hispanics voted overwhelmingly for Mr. Obama on Tuesday.
Exit polls showed the president winning 71 percent of Hispanics, which is up from the 67 percent he won in 2008 in the rapidly expanding voter bloc. Basking in those numbers, immigration rights advocates said they are eager to collect the rewards of their support.
“It’s time for Latinos to cash their check for the Dream Act and for immigration reform,” said Cesar Vargas, who has applied for Mr. Obama’s nondeportation policy.
But he said the president’s victory likely will mean a flood of applications from other young adults who had waited, fearful that they would be judged by a less-lenient Romney administration than by Mr. Obama’s.
For the past decade, immigration has been stymied in Congress, including failed attempts in 2006 and 2007 with President Bush. Mr. Obama promised to take action during his first term, but instead tackled health care, the economy, climate change and financial regulations.
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