The House has voted to open a gateway to citizenship for young Dreamers and other immigrants who have fled war or natural disasters abroad. Thursday's vote gives Democrats a win in the year’s first vote on immigration.

The issue faces a steep uphill climb in the Senate because Republicans are demanding that immigration bills contain steps to toughen border security.

The bill offers legal status to around 2 million Dreamers who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children, and to others. Passage seems imminent on a second bill offering legal status to 1 million immigrant farm workers.