Both Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) have signaled they hope to hold votes this session on the act, which would allow some undocumented young people to gain legal status if they attended college or served in the military for two years.

Politico has the full readout from the meeting, which also states Obama’s continued commitment to comprehensive immigration reform “at the earliest opportunity”:

“The President reiterated his support for fixing the broken immigration system and urged the CHC leaders to work to restore the bipartisan coalition backing comprehensive immigration reform. The President repeated his hope that, with the election season’s pressures past, Congressional Republicans would work with their Democratic colleagues not only to strengthen security at the nation’s borders, but also to restore responsibility and accountability to what everyone agrees is a broken immigration system. The President reiterated his strong support for bipartisan Congressional action on immigration reform at the earliest opportunity, noting that the American people expect both parties to work together to tackle the challenges confronting our nation.”

Obama has consistently stated his support for the DREAM Act and comprehensive immigration reform. But with a likely tight vote ahead for the act in the Senate, Gutierrez said the president’s support is needed to ensure a united Democratic effort to pass the bill.

“With the White House, Majority Leader Harry Reid, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and every Democratic Leader in the House and Senate pulling in the same direction, we can pass the DREAM Act before the end of the 111th Congress,” he said in a press release after the meeting.

Right now, it is unclear whether all Democrats would vote for the DREAM Act, which is a problem given the Republicans’ larger share of the Senate after the newly elected Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) takes Obama’s former seat. At least five Democrats who voted against the DREAM Act in 2007 told The Hill they are still uncertain on how they would vote this year, and only two Republicans have said they would vote for the act as a standalone bill. Reid needs at least 60 votes to prevent a Republican filibuster — the tactic that took down the effort to insert the DREAM Act and a repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” into the defense authorization bill in September.

Now, the stakes are somewhat different: In the lame-duck session, Democrats are up against tight time constraints and an additional Republican senator, the recently elected Mark Kirk from Illinois, to pass any immigration bills. But Menendez still says the DREAM Act, which would allow some undocumented students and military service members to gain legal status, should be the fallback to passing a far more contentious comprehensive immigration reform bill:

“The White House is ready and willing, and we may be having another meeting with the White House very soon this week,” Menendez said on a conference call, adding that Obama is “clearly interested” trying to reach a deal on immigration before the Congress convenes. [...]

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid have said they would like to push for the DREAM Act, which would provide a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants who were brought to the country as children, during the lame-duck session.

Menendez said that although he supports the legislation, he would “like that to be a fallback.”

“I would not like to start there,” Menendez said. “I am a strong supporter of the DREAM Act. If that is all that can be achieved, then I certainly support the opportunity.”

Granted, Menendez has some good reasons to continue pushing for comprehensive immigration reform: He introduced a reform bill just before the pre-election recess, and with Republicans set to take over the House in January it may be the last chance for reform for a few years. Obama will likely state his support for immigration reform — one of his campaign promises — and the DREAM Act.

But given the difficulty of rounding up 60 votes for even the DREAM Act, Reid and Pelosi seem unlikely to push for comprehensive immigration reform. The likelihood of passing comprehensive immigration reform during the lame-duck session is very low, and DREAM Act supporters have argued the act should not be held hostage to broader reform efforts if those efforts cannot gain Republican support.

The act is noteworthy because it allows gay and lesbian citizens or permanent residents to petition for their foreign-born partners to come to the United States. Of course, given the Republican slant of the next Congress, it seems unlikely to pass. But Honda remains committed to keeping gay rights as part of the bill. He explained his reasoning for the bill in a joint op-ed with Cleveland Browns player Scott Fujita:

The Reuniting Families Act, which I will reintroduce in the 112th Congress, allows all Americans to be reunited with their families. That includes gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender permanent partners (adults who are in committed lifelong relationships and are financially interdependent).

The benefits of this policy cannot be overstated: American workers with their families by their side are happier, healthier and more able to succeed than those living apart from loved ones for years on end. By pooling resources, families can do together what they can’t do alone – start family businesses, create American jobs and contribute more to this country’s welfare.

The healthier the community, the more expendable income is available and the lower the burden on government social services. This correlation is well researched and well substantiated, but it is up to us to make it a reality. [...]

It is time to reunite America. No family excluded.

Honda and Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) have argued that the act, also called the Uniting American Families Act, could win support from gay rights and immigration reform supporters. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) also included a provision for gay rights in the comprehensive immigration reform bill he introduced in October.

Visa reform for gay and lesbian partners is an important issue: An estimated 24,000 gay and lesbian couples in the U.S. include at least one foreign partner, some of whom are living in the country undocumented. Current law does not allow citizens to petition for legal status for their partners — even if they are legally married in their state — which means some men and women who are married to U.S. citizens can be deported or denied the right to enter the country legally.

But even if a Republican House is able to find enough support for an immigration reform bill — which is unlikely — the bill could fall apart over its gay rights provision. Evangelical leaders who have pushed a conservative case for immigration reform say they would rescind their support if reform included ways for gay and lesbian families to petition for visas.

Salazar lost to Republican Scott Tipton, a Tea Party-backed candidate who will likely support heavier immigration enforcement without paths to legal status for the illegal immigrants already in the country. In Texas, Republican Francisco “Quico” Canseco defeated Rodriguez, a six-term congressman, and Republican Blake Farenthold took out 14-term congressman Ortiz.

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus is made up of Democrats and supports immigration reform that would allow some of the illegal immigrants in the United States to remain if they paid fines and taxes, learned English, passed background and civics tests and registered with the government. Losing three members from the caucus may seem minor given the size of Congress, but it means at least three pro-immigration reform members will be replaced in the House with members who support restricting immigration and tightly enforcing immigration laws to drive out current undocumented immigrants.

Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), who chairs the immigration task force of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, easily won re-election yesterday. But he acknowledged that enacting immigration reform will be more difficult with a GOP-led House. “If Republican opposition prevents us from seriously addressing immigration legislatively, then the President must address the toll deportations are taking on American families and neighborhoods through administrative action,” he said in a press release.

“Immigration reform is not a Republican or Democratic issue: Both parties have failed the Latino people on this issue,” Roberto DePosada, who heads Latinos for Reform, said in the video. “The Republican Party’s rhetoric on this issue has been irresponsible, but so has the Democratic Party’s inaction on this issue in the past two years. … Don’t just give your vote away because it’s expected.”

Here’s the video:

On the one hand, this could be a convincing point: Democrats assumed support from Latino voters but failed to deliver on their promises, and polls show some fallout. But few expect Congress would take on immigration reform during a lame duck session. Even Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), who introduced a comprehensive immigration reform bill just before the pre-election recess, seemed unconvinced it would go anywhere.

But immigration advocates argue the failure of reform during Obama’s two years is not a reason to stay home from the polls, and they remain highly critical of DePosada’s effort to run the ads in Nevada. “This is overt voter suppression, and it’s ugly,” Frank Sharry, Executive Director of America’s Voice, said in a press release earlier this week. “It’s precisely because of Sharron Angle’s nasty attack ads on immigration and this latest voter suppression tactic that Latino voters in Nevada should vote. They comprise 12% of the Nevada electorate, and a large turnout could prove to be fatal for Angle.”

Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), a longtime supporter of comprehensive immigration reform and a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, seemed to make a similar “lesser of two evils”-style point in an op-ed he released today at Latinovations (emphasis mine):

On immigration, the question is not whether you are a Pelosi-Obama Democrat, but whether you are a Lamar Smith-John Boehner-Steve King Republican.  When it comes down to it, putting people like Smith-Boehner-King at the helm of national immigration policy is a guarantee of more gridlock and chaos. Rep. Steve King of Iowa — who makes Jim Sensenbrenner look like Dolores Huerta by comparison — has called for electrified fencing on the border because he has found it effective for controlling “livestock.”  And if the recent past is any indication, we can expect any number of anti-Latino voter intimidation dirty tricks in the coming weeks in addition to the ads telling Latinos not to vote.  We need to make it crystal clear to voters who favor a fair and humane immigration system that a vote for any GOP House or Senate candidate is a vote for the status quo on immigration or worse.

Many members of the pro-immigration reform community have said they hoped Gutierrez would remain in Washington, where he has pushed for comprehensive immigration reform as well as smaller bills such as the DREAM Act and measures to expand legalization options for some undocumented young people and foreign-born partners of gay and lesbian U.S. citizens.

In Chicago, though, Latino groups said they hoped to see Gutierrez run against former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, whom Gutierrez has criticized for failing to deliver comprehensive immigration reform during his time in the White House.

Gutierrez’s office confirmed the congressman will not run for mayor, but has not yet provided his official statement.

Update: Here is Gutierrez’s statement on his decision not to run for mayor:

When I make important decisions I try to think about Roberto Clemente.

Roberto Clemente had everything. A great career. A rifle arm. A big contract. Fans who adored him.

And yet, he risked it all to help others. He made a decision that was entirely unselfish. A decision about the greater good of his people. He took on the dictator of Nicaragua, got on a small plane, overloaded with relief supplies, flew into a storm – and gave his life for others.

I’m not here to compare myself to Clemente. Not at all. Few people will ever earn that comparison. But I am here to say that as I think about making a decision like running for Mayor of Chicago, I try to learn by his example.

And the example he set was this: when you make a decision, do it based on what is best for your people.

I love the City of Chicago. I would love to be Mayor of the city of Chicago, and I believe I could do great things for people. For Latinos, for African-Americans, for immigrants, for gays and lesbians, for every person in Chicago wants a better future for themselves and their families.

I believe I could make a difference.

And I believe our campaign is in very strong shape. We have lots of funding, and commitments for more. We have plenty of signatures on petitions. We have enthusiasm and support and volunteers. We have a poll that says we are in a very strong position and that the Latino community in particular would rally to my candidacy.

It’s an exciting and important opportunity.

And so I have weighed that excitement and that opportunity and that possibility alongside of my current opportunity. And my current obligation.

I’m honored to serve in Congress. My constituents have sent me back many times. I take their trust seriously. I’m humbled by it.

And across this nation, immigrants are counting on me too. The people I’ve talked about today in detail. The people I’ve met in Jersey City and Tampa, in El Paso and San Jose, in Cleveland and Phoenix.

Today, our immigrant community is under attack – but we’re fighting back. And I am fortunate enough to be on the frontlines of the battle. Fortunate to stand up for families that are being torn apart and moms and dads who are being deported. To have a direct line to the President of the United States to say “you have to do more.” To go to Phoenix to say “what you are doing here in unjust and must be stopped.” To walk the streets of Pilsen and Little Village and give people hope. To debate anti-immigrant leaders wherever we find them – from the ballot box to the television talk shows.

It’s a tough time for those of us who believe in fairness for immigrants. But history is not written by those who give up.

And history is not written by those who change battles in the middle of the fight.

Today I tell you that I have an obligation to all of my constituents and all of the immigrant families I have met and learned from across this country. I have an obligation to not give up the fight for fairness, for justice and for finally passing comprehensive immigration reform.

I have an obligation not to give up on the fight I’ve already begun.

I have unfinished business to complete.

So I will not be a candidate for Mayor of the City of Chicago.

This is an extremely difficult decision, and I thank with all my heart the people who have been working so hard and supporting my candidacy.

But it is a decision I make knowing it is the right thing to do. There is one and only one reason I am not running — I’m already engaged in the most important battle I can commit my energy and time and devotion to winning. I am one-hundred percent committed to fighting for fairness and justice for immigrants, and to continue the battle for comprehensive immigration reform.

Standing up for immigrants, and finishing this battle, and winning this fight is far more important than whatever personal disappointment I might feel in not making the race for Mayor of the city of Chicago.

I love Chicago. I’ve reached out to other candidates today to tell them I’m not running and to wish them well. I will be engaged in this race and will still be a voice for fairness for all of the people of Chicago. For jobs. For better schools. For safe streets.

But I will be that voice while I continue my obligations as Congressman and my crusade for comprehensive immigration reform.

I know today – that even though I believe we would have mounted a great campaign, an important campaign, a winning campaign – this is the right decision for the people I represent and for people who count on me.

So I thank you. Today is not the end of a fight – it’s the continuation of a struggle for justice – and I invite all of you to join me in this very important crusade. Because with all of you – together – we will win.

Thank you very much.

As of now, the Sun-Times reports he is still unsure whether he should stay in Congress or run to replace longtime Chicago Mayor Richard Daley. If he runs, it could be a loss for national immigration reform advocates: Gutierrez backs a number of immigration-related measures, such as the DREAM Act for undocumented students and military service members and the Uniting American Families Act to allow gay and lesbian citizens to petition for legal status for their foreign-born partners.

Here are the poll results (emphasis mine):

In a horse-race matchup, the front-runner in the Gutierrez poll is former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel at 27 percent to Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart, 19 percent; former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun (D-Ill.), 9 percent; Gutierrez, 8 percent; Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.), 6 percent, state Sen. James Meeks, 5 percent; City Clerk Miguel del Valle, 3 percent; Ald. Bob Fioretti, 2 percent and Chicago City Colleges Board chief Gery Chico, 2 percent.

The election is expected to take place in two parts: One general election, then a runoff with the two leading candidates.

Gutierrez has made immigration reform one of his central issues, and it will likely play a role whether or not he runs for the office. Supporters of immigration reform, particularly those in Washington, have said his candidacy could hurt the prospects for immigration reform in Congress. On the other hand, Latino and pro-immigration reform groups in Chicago have said they would favor Gutierrez over Emanuel, who failed to deliver comprehensive immigration reform during his time in the White House.

“The immigrant communities do not want Rahm Emanuel to come home without immigration reform,” Joshua Hoyt, executive director, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, said in September. “The Latino communities will be behind [Rep. Luis] Gutierrez.”

Supporters of immigration reform have been disappointed by the Obama administration’s actions on immigration reform, arguing they stepped up enforcement without providing relief to non-criminal immigrants living in the U.S. Obama promised immigration reform during his first year as president, but did not deliver.

Gutierrez, a longtime advocate of immigration reform in Congress, has criticized Emanuel for the administration’s inaction on immigration reform. He said in April Emanuel “better stay in the White House” and that he would not endorse him if he ran for Chicago mayor.

Of course, Gutierrez is also contemplating a run for the spot in the wake of Mayor Richard Daley’s planned retirement. And although Hoyt said the Illinois immigrants rights community would be behind him, nationwide advocates of reform argue he can better serve the cause in Congress. “We want him to stay in Congress,” Lynn Tramonte, deputy director of immigration advocacy group America’s Voice, told The Hill. “We need him here. We want him here.”

But if not now, when will it possible to pass the DREAM Act? It’s unclear when the Senate could next take up the bill. There is very little time left before the Senate leaves again for its pre-election recess, and afterward it may be tough to pass legislation in a lame duck session.

“The legislative calendar for this year is growing very short,” Ira Mehlman of the anti-immigration reform group FAIR told TWI. “It’s a certainty that there’s going to be a lame duck session. As you get closer and closer to the end of congress, it’s going to be more difficult to pass the DREAM Act.”

FAIR opposes the DREAM Act. But some supporters of immigration reform also voiced doubts that Reid will be able to pull off passage this year. The main issue is Republican support. While some senators, such as Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) might vote for the DREAM Act on its own, many others have said they would not support the measure.

Mary Giovagnoli, director of Immigration Policy Center, says today’s vote could indicate Republicans would be unwilling to support the DREAM Act in the future. “It’s pretty clear that it was a party line vote,” she told TWI this afternoon. “Consequently, unless some Republicans are brave enough to step over the line, it’s going to remain gridlocked.”

Despite challenges, supporters said they will continue to push for legislation to help illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as children gain legal status through school or military service. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), one of the main advocates of comprehensive immigration reform in Congress, said “the fight is not over” for the DREAM Act.

“All we need is a small handful of relatively brave Republican Senators to step up to let the debate move forward, which could happen tomorrow if they choose to put the people before politics,” Gutierrez said in a statement.

Immigrants rights advocates said they will continue to put the heat on Republicans to support the DREAM Act, specifically those they believe might support the DREAM Act as a standalone bill or amendment to another piece of legislation.

“I think the White House, the Democrats, and the allies that support serious immigration reform are going on offense and the President is our quarterback,” Gutierrez said in a press release. “I have been pushing hard to get us all pointing in the same direction on this issue and now with the White House standing with us and the Senate poised to act, I think we are seeing that effort begin to bear fruit.”

Politico has more from after the meeting:

“The president committed to talk to senators,” she said. “We will encourage the community at large to help us, because next week is going to be a crucial week.” Echoing Obama, she called for an “up or down vote.”

Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) added that Obama made it clear that he would “leave no stone unturned.” He said they asked Obama to use the “full weight, the full might of the White House.”

“Let’s have a victory next week,” Gutierrez said.

Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) advocated for the defense authorization bill, in which the DREAM Act is contained. “I trust that Republicans will join us,” he said, noting that the issue has been bipartisan in the past. “A clean vote without amendments to it.”