Today, advocates delivered 1 million petitions to Congress demanding an urgent vote on a clean version of the Dream Act. Since Donald Trump rescinded DACA last week, the Dream Act is the only way that 800,000+ Dreamers will be able to stay in the US and continue to legally work. Dreamers have made it clear that they are not interested in being used as a bargaining chip for harsher immigration enforcement that would crack down on their parents — hence the need for a “clean” piece of legislation. It’s estimated that Congressional action on the Dream Act or a similar bill may come this December.
As our own Juan Escalante said during the petition delivery about why Congress needs to act on the Dream Act immediately:
Just like my brothers and sisters across the country, I will not stop until we pass the Dream Act and see it signed into law. I’ve been fighting for the Dream Act since I was 17 years old. That’s almost ten years ago….
Now that Donald Trump has killed DACA and has taken away this sense of security from Dreamers, we are committed once again to make sure that we don’t go back into the shadows, that we raise our voices, stand united, and fight against this anti-immigrant extreme agenda.
Today’s petitions were collected and delivered by United We Dream, MoveOn.org, Indivisible, CREDO, Democracy for America, ACLU, the National Immigration Law Center, and America’s Voice.
Watch a livestream of the event, or view the tweets, below:
About to deliver 1 MILLION petitions in support of the #DreamAct. Thank you to all the partners who made this possible! pic.twitter.com/qxFfbnOVxb
— Juan Escalante (@JuanSaaa) September 12, 2017
One million strong for a #CleanDreamAct @MoveOn @UNITEDWEDREAM @ACLU @CREDOMobile @WorkingFamilies @nakasec @NILC_org pic.twitter.com/23YCeJqCKi
— Sara Kenigsberg (@skenigsberg) September 12, 2017
That is 1 MILLION petitions for the Dream Act — we need clean legislation that protects Dreamers without using them as bargaining chips! pic.twitter.com/6YDB1mwZke
— America’s Voice (@AmericasVoice) September 12, 2017
That’s our @JuanSaaa, delivering 1 MILLION petitions to Congress for a clean Dream Act, with @moveon @UNITEDWEDREAM @credomobile & more pic.twitter.com/0cr9dwZ1a9
— America’s Voice (@AmericasVoice) September 12, 2017
It’s @Grei_sa! We are delivering 1 MILLION petitions for the Dream Act to Congress today. Action to protect Dreamers must be taken NOW. pic.twitter.com/zjw9YgRgIc
— America’s Voice (@AmericasVoice) September 12, 2017
This is what 1 MILLION petitions looks like. Congress needs to make it a priority RIGHT NOW to protect 800k+ young immigrants. #DreamAct pic.twitter.com/ZSxljflhyB
— America’s Voice (@AmericasVoice) September 12, 2017
