Napolitano Urges Congress to Pass DREAM Act

WASHINGTON (AP) — Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano (neh-pahl-ih-TAN'-oh) is urging Congress to allow certain foreign-born young people who were illegally brought to the U.S. as children to become legal residents.

She says it would help her department focus on deporting immigrants with criminal records.

The Senate failed in September to pass what's known as the DREAM Act. It's unclear whether Congress will vote on it again before the year ends.

The bill would apply to immigrants who arrived in the U.S. before age 16, have been here at least five years and have a U.S. high school diploma or the equivalent. It would let them become U.S. residents after they've spent two years in college or the military.