Activists Want Democrats to Force an Immigration Fix by the End of the Year

Advocates are turning up the pressure on Congressional Democrats to protect 800,000 "Dreamers" brought to the U.S. illegally as children.

They’re planning a protest at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s office this week, asking him to block a government funding bill until Republicans agree to preserve the right for Dreamers to live and work in the U.S.

Anu Joshi is policy director of the New York Immigration Coalition. Her group is coming by bus Tuesday to join other activists and ask Congress for a permanent fix.

"We want Congress to do their job and get the DREAM Act passed," she said. "However that has to happen by the end of the year is fine with us."

It’s urgent because the current protections for Dreamers run out in March, and any new program could take weeks to set up. Advocates say the closer the deadline gets, the worse deal they will get.

On Friday, Schumer said a deal is likely, but not until January — after this week's deadline to extend spending. Republicans are pushing a short-term deal to extend the deadline until next month.

“We’re getting very close to a compromise," Schumer said. "There’s discussions going on right now.”

The negotiations are being conducted by Schumer's top deputy, Illinois Senator Dick Durbin.

Joshi said that’s good news, but she and other DREAM Act supporters aren’t certain if those negotiations will include a path to citizenship.