Campaign Action
Because Republicans cannot function as a governing body, there's another government shutdown deadline, the sixth for this fiscal year. But with these massive, must-pass pieces of legislation come opportunities. So far, Republicans have been a lot better at seizing them because they're more willing to shoot their hostages, but this time Democrats can't blink. This time, they can't fail the Dreamers.
A must-pass, roughly $1.3 trillion spending bill may be the last chance before the midterm elections for the two parties to achieve their top immigration-related priorities: protecting Dreamers from deportation or build President Donald Trump’s border wall. Whether they can succeed after their repeated failures is anyone's guess, but they're expected to try.
One possibility would be a scaled-down compromise that would extend protections for hundreds of thousands of young immigrants for an additional three years in exchange for three years of wall funding. That would punt the decision on a permanent fix past Trump’s first term as president.
Other potential scenarios are an even shorter fix for the Dreamers, or, given the chamber's track record, no deal at all.
Think big, Democrats. Make the Dream Act your starting and ending point on this. Don't give Trump and the Republicans anything if you don't secure a path to citizenship for Dreamers and protect their families.
Seize this moment, Democrats, when America's young people—Dreamers and high school students alike—are showing you how to lead, are showing us the future. Trust these young people. Trust the 80 percent of American voters to support you and hold Republicans accountable.
Do it for 15-year-old Anthony Borges, an immigrant who saved at least 20 of his fellow Parkland students and is now fighting for his life. Do it for Martin Duque, a Mexican immigrant and JROTC cadet who was killed. Do it for JROTC cadet Peter Wang, the son of Chinese immigrants who was killed as he held a classroom door open for other students to escape. Do it in the memory of brand-new citizen Joaquin Oliver, who immigrated here with his family from Venezuela 14 years ago, and celebrated with this photo caption: "MAMA WE MADE IT!!!! 14 years ago we move to this wonderful country and 14 years later we officially are citizens of the United States of America. Never been more proud."