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House and Senate Introduce DREAM Act

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Action Shows Willingness of Congress to Address Comprehensive Immigration Reform

Today, Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Richard Lugar (R-IN) and U.S. Representatives Howard Berman (D-CA) and Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL) introduced the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, commonly known as the DREAM Act.  The legislation gives thousands of young immigrants, who have grown up in the United States, a pathway to legal status and eventual citizenship.  In the House, cosponsors include Representatives Lucile Roybal-Allard (D-CA),  Devin Nunes (R-CA), Anh “Joseph” Cao (R-LA), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Jared Polis (D-CO), John Conyers (D-MI) and Zoe Lofgren (D-CA). 

“The DREAM Act would fix one of the clearest examples of America’s nonsensical immigration laws,” said Frank Sharry, Executive Director of America’s Voice.  “For too long, high school valedictorians and college graduates have been unable to fully live up to their potential.  Imagine growing up in the United States nearly your whole life, going to school, making it to college and living in constant fear of being arrested and deported to a country you hardly know.”

An estimated 65,000 undocumented young people who have spent their childhoods in America would be impacted by this important piece of legislation.  An effort to pass comprehensive immigration reform would also include the DREAM Act. 

“Their stories are heartbreaking but their spirit and resilience is nothing short of amazing,” Sharry continued.  “For years, these young people, many working in the ‘United we Dream’ coalition, have courageously stood up and organized to change an unjust law.  Now, Senator Durbin, Rep. Berman and the other cosponsors are also showing courage.   Today’s introduction of the DREAM Act is a testament to their hard work and should serve as an inspiration to all of us as we work together to fix our broken immigration system.”

America’s Voice — Harnessing the power of American voices and American values to win common sense immigration reform.

http://www.americasvoiceonline.org/ 

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