Providing for Consideration of H.R. Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017

Floor Speech

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Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, ending DACA would be a nightmare for Dreamers. In fact, it would be a nightmare for businesses and a nightmare for America's economy.

You would think that that statement may have been said by the advocates for immigration rights or maybe by some of the faith-based groups that support immigration. But it wasn't. It was said by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Speaker, and that is so because DACA-eligible workers contribute $1.4 billion in Federal taxes, $2 billion in Social Security taxes, and $470 million in Medicare every single year.

So this statement on its face we would think was made by folks who have traditionally supported immigration rights was made by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the one entity that is really concerned about economic growth, job creation, and the well-being of our economy.

Ranking Member Nydia Velazquez's report on the impact of DACA on small businesses found that deporting Dreamers will cost $60 billion and reduce economic growth by $280 billion, including $460 billion in economic output over a decade. So this is the dramatic impact that not resolving DACA and not bringing help to the Dreamers will have on our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, when we look into the eyes of these Dreamers, we just can't say no to them. You can't say no to a young person full of aspirations, full of dreams, and still full of so much hope for our Nation. Even under these very critical and challenging times for our Nation and the world, these Dreamers are full of aspirations.

So the question will be: Are we a nation of aspirations or a nation of deportation?

Nearly 8 in 10 voters support allowing Dreamers to remain permanently in our country. In red States and blue States, in Republican majority districts and Democratic districts, over 80 percent of Americans feel that these young people should stay in our Nation. Even three-quarters of Trump voters and only 14 percent believe that they should be forced out. Only 14 percent of our Nation feels that these young people should be kicked out, thrown out in the cold--only 14 percent. A very small minority of Americans believe that that should be what we do.

Ninety-one percent of DACA recipients younger than 25 are employed. They are no burden on our economy. Those who are over 25 years old have been employed at a rate of 93 percent. Ninety-three percent of DACA recipients over 25 years old are working residents of our Nation with an average earning of $36,000.

Dreamers are students, teachers, healthcare workers, devoted members of our communities, members of our Armed Forces, and first responders. That is who Dreamers are. They are not a load on our country. As we saw in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, it was a Dreamer who made food and volunteered to set up beds for thousands of Americans who were displaced. Jesus Contreras, a Dreamer and a paramedic, worked as a first responder for 6 days straight after the hurricane.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to vote against the previous question so that we can immediately bring the Dream Act to the floor and stand with our Nation's Dreamers.

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