WASHINGTON, D.C. – FWD.us President Todd Schulte issued the following statement today after U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Republican Senator Murkowski announced the reintroduction of the Dream Act. This legislation would create a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, including DACA recipients and some individuals with Temporary Protected Status (TPS):
“The bipartisan Dream Act is a long-overdue and essential step toward delivering stability and the basic ability for millions of young people who came to the United States as children to fully contribute and live their lives with dignity, benefiting us all. For far too long, Dreamers and DACA recipients have lived in fear and uncertainty, with their futures, and their families’ security, hanging in the balance.
“The Dream Act would change that. By offering Dreamers a pathway to lawful permanent residency and, eventually, U.S. citizenship, it would protect them from deportation, provide access to legal work authorization, and allow them to travel freely. That matters not just for Dreamers, but for all Americans. They contribute every day to our workplaces, communities, neighborhoods, and economy. With a permanent legislative solution, they will continue to pay taxes, start businesses, pursue education, and strengthen local economies without the fear of being separated from their families. The Dream Act is not only good immigration policy, it is also critical economic policy that makes life more fair and affordable, having already added over $1 trillion to the economy.
“This comes at a time when DACA, which has transformed the lives of nearly a million Dreamers but, due to litigation, has been blocked for hundreds of thousands more, is under dire threat. We should be clear about the proper course forward: first, all direct and indirect attacks on the DACA program must stop; second, legislation such as the bipartisan Dream Act should receive a vote and be signed into law. It is simple and essential: Protect DACA and pass the Dream Act now.
“We thank Senators Durbin and Murkowski for their leadership in reintroducing this critical bipartisan bill and for their continued commitment to Dreamers. The American public overwhelmingly supports Dreamers; it is long past time for the rest of Congress to do the same.”
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