Outlook 2018: ‘Dreamer’ Bill Possible Amid Immigration Stalemate

A measure to provide legal status to “dreamers” may be the only immigration legislation passed in 2018, and even that isn’t a sure thing.

“The tone of the debate, in a nutshell, is really being set by the White House,” Rebecca Peters, director of government affairs for the Council for Global Immigration, said.

In October, the White House sent a list of immigration priorities to Congress, including increased border security, bolstered interior enforcement, and a shift to a merit-based immigration system. Republicans in Congress are “using these as very high-level guidelines as they’re working on legislation this session,” even though ...