What’s Next for the DREAM Act?

Those familiar with the budget negotiations that happen every March in Albany are well aware that nothing is officially in or out until April 1.

However, it is looking more and more likely that the DREAM Act and the Education Investment Tax Credit—which Gov. Andrew Cuomo tied together—will be taken up outside the budget process.

Cuomo in an op-ed published in the Daily News Thursday said “I am disappointed, but not surprised, that we cannot arrive at an agreement on either of these crucial pieces of legislation at this point in the session.”

State Sen. Jose Peralta, the DREAM Act's lead sponsor, placed full blame on the Senate Republicans, accusing his colleagues on the other side of the aisle of pushing a “fear-mongering” and “racist” ideology by refusing to give undocumented students the opportunity to apply for the Tuition Assistance Program.

“DREAM is a necessity and I’m very disappointed that there is even talk that this is going to be negotiated off the table because the governor understands and knows that the best leverage we have to make this a reality is through the budget,” Peralta said. “If it doesn’t get included, we will continue to push to make it a reality before the end of session and then we have ways we’re going to be pushing to try to do that.”

If the DREAM Act is not included in this year's budget, Peralta said supporters are currently in discussions with “certain celebrities” to have them sponsor and promote the legislation’s passage in June.

They are also looking ahead to 2016 if the bill once again fails to pass this year. Supporters plan to launch awareness campaigns in Republican-controlled districts in upstate New York and Long Island, including those represented by state Sens. Phil Boyle, Dean Skelos and Jack Martins, according to Peralta.

“We’re going to be pushing and reminding folks, reminding senators … that next year is an election year and 2016 is going to be very, very tough for them as a party being that if Hillary Clinton ends up being the [Democratic presidential] nominee," Peralta said. "We have a high turnout in number in terms of presidential campaigns and we have a higher number of minority turnout including in Republican districts.”

State legislative leaders are still planning for an on-time budget, which means an agreement will have to be reached by Saturday at midnight so that it can be voted on by Tuesday night.

A lot could happen between now and then.