Congress Must Act Now to Protect DREAMers

Statement

Dear friend,

For hundreds of thousands of young people in California and across the nation, Tuesday was a dark day.

In my opinion, the President's decision to end the DACA program was a cruel and arbitrary attack on DREAMers, designed to placate a narrow constituency and erase the legacy of his predecessor. There is nothing in the law or constitution that compelled him to take this step -- only cynical politics. If the President supported protecting these young people and felt Congressional action was necessary, I believe he should have urged Congress to act long before now. Instead the rug was pulled out from the DREAMers, even after public reassurances that they had nothing to worry about. Congress must pass the DREAM Act to grant legal status to those covered under DACA.

For many DREAMers, America is the only home they've ever known. Brought across the border by their families when they were only children, more than half of them younger than six years old, these young people have grown up in America, gone to school in America, and made plans for their futures in America. They have played by the rules, gone to school, paid their taxes, served in the military and done everything right. They are as American as anyone else, in every way except in writing. But in my opinion, the President would throw that all away.

There are nearly a quarter of a million DACA recipients in California alone. And if DACA workers are deported, our state would lose an estimated $11.6 billion dollars in annual GDP, according to the Center for American Progress.

When the DACA program was created, America made a promise to these DREAMers that they would be protected. I believe the President's action on Tuesday shattered this promise. Now, hundreds of thousands of young people are left wondering what the future holds for them and whether they'll be ripped away from their friends, families, jobs, and communities.

Congress cannot sit passively by while families are torn apart. We must act. Earlier this week I offered an amendment to defund any effort to deport the DREAMers, but Republicans blocked a vote on this amendment, and all other DACA-related amendments offered by Democrats. In my opinion, since the President has failed to do his job, it is long past time for Congress to do ours and pass the DREAM Act as soon as possible.

You can always share your thoughts through Facebook or Twitter. As always, I welcome hearing from you on these and any other issues, and hope that you will stay in touch.

Sincerely,

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