Sen. Bill Nelson shows cautious openness to Rubio DREAM Act alternative

Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) showed a reserved openness to backing Sen. Marco Rubio's (R-Fla.) Republican alternative to the DREAM Act.

"If that's the only thing we can pass, then I'm certainly open to it," Nelson said Thursday at the University of South Florida, according to The Associated Press. "But that's not going to solve the problem because once the child — or now-grown student — gets through, what's going to happen to them? Are they going to sit here in legal limbo? Are they going to have to go back to their country of origin and get in line to then come back? Well, at that point they think of themselves as American."

Rubio's proposal to the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act allows students who came to the United States illegally as children stay in the country and get a driver's license. They can also apply for residency in the United States but, unlike the actual DREAM Act, strongly backed by Democrats, Rubio's proposal does not provide a path to citizenship. 

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) recently said although there was "always hope," Rubio's proposal is unlikely to pass the Republican-controlled House of Representatives.

"I found it of interest," Boehner said in late April, "but the problem with this issue is that we’re operating in a very hostile political environment. And to deal with a very difficult issue like this … I think it would be difficult, at best."

Rubio's proposal is likely to receive widespread attention through the rest of the 2012 presidential election cycle, as he is seen as a top prospect for the vice presidential spot on the Republican ticket and Republicans are seeking to rally Hispanic voters behind their candidate.

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