Who is to blame for DREAM Act's defeat?

Source New America Media

The history of the DREAM Act has been marked by high hopes and wrenching defeats. In the eyes of immigrant rights advocates, it's inexplicable why a bill aimed at helping college students and young military personnel get their immigration papers could face such stiff resistance. The U.S. Senate's failure to reach 60 votes in order to advance the bill was characterized as a slap in the face to immigrant constituencies. Advocates were quick to point to the Republican Party as being to blame. "The best and the brightest of our nation's immigrant community" who want to go to college and serve in our military" just had the door slammed in their face by the GOP," said Frank Sharry, executive director of America's Voice and a veteran of Washington, D.C. immigration policy battles.