Twenty Democratic attorneys general and nearly a dozen bipartisan governors have penned letters to congressional leaders urging a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) fix as soon as possible. If legislators don’t pass the DREAM Act before going home for the holidays, 122 DACA recipients will continue losing their work permits, driver’s licenses, and protection from deportation every single day. “Given this urgency,” states the letter from the governors, including Republican John Kasich of Ohio and Democrat John Hickenlooper of Colorado, “we encourage you to come together quickly to shape a bipartisan solution that allows our Dreamers to remain in the United States and continue their constructive contributions to our society”:
We stand with these young American immigrants not only because it is good for our communities and a strong American 21st century economy, but also because it is the right thing for our nation to do.
As you know, DACA recipients have subjected themselves to extensive background and security checks in order to work and attend college. They are studying to be teachers, doctors and scientists at our universities. They are working to support themselves and their families, paying taxes and contributing to their communities in a myriad of ways. In the absence of congressional action providing for a permanent resolution, the termination of DACA puts these young people and their families in peril, and will destabilize our schools, workplaces and communities.
We recognize the complexities and challenges created by this issue, but swift, successful action is needed, action that can build momentum to reassure policymakers that progress on other immigration challenges is possible as well.
“We urge you to support these young American immigrants by quickly sending a signal that we want them to continue to play a productive role in our communities,” the letter, also signed by Republican Charlie Baker of Massachusetts, Democrat Steve Bullock of Montana, Democrat Roy Cooper of North Carolina, Democrat Mark Dayton of Minnesota, Republican Gary Herbert of Utah, Republican Brian Sandoval of Nevada, Republican Phil Scott of Vermont, Independent Bill Walker of Alaska, and Democrat Tom Wolf of Pennsylvania, stated. “As a bipartisan coalition of governors, we stand ready to help.”
A second letter, from nearly two dozen Democratic attorneys general, carries a much more direct and urgent appeal, calling on Congress to pass the DREAM Act by the end of of this year.
“As our states’ chief legal officers,” states the letter, which includes California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, “we urge Congress to pass the Dream Act before adjourning for the holidays”:
Congress must act to address the status of the youth and young adults who were brought into our country as children and who now live, work and attend school in our communities. These “Dreamers” are law-abiding residents who have passed extensive background checks, are employed, pay taxes and volunteer in countless ways to enrich our states. They are parents, community leaders, homeowners, and founders of businesses.”
In addition to individuals who are currently losing their DACA status as Congress deliberates, come March, thousands of individuals will begin to lose their DACA protections daily.
“As fellow leaders entrusted by the voters to protect the health, safety and well-being of our states’ residents, we ask members of Congress to address this critically important matter without further delay, as you have repeatedly committed to do, to ensure that Dreamers can continue to thrive without fear of deportation,” the letter concludes.
With some Republicans openly misleading people by saying that we can kick the DACA can down to January or postpone Donald Trump’s arbitrary March 2018 deadline, Democrats need to stand the line and commit to protecting undocumented immigrant youth by passing the DREAM Act now, and that includes using their votes for the must-pass spending bill as leverage. Immigrant youth are depending on them to lead and stand strong.
“Congress must pass the bipartisan Dream Act by the end of the year, without further delay, to ensure that Dreamers can continue to work, study and thrive without fear of deportation,” wrote Tom Jawetz. “If Congress does not, and instead members go home for the holidays having passed another spending bill without permanent protections for Dreamers, it will have appropriated funds that will be used to deport Dreamers, plain and simple.”