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Urgency Builds for a Solution for Dreamers: US Businesses Step Up, American Donors Fund DACA Renewals

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Washington, DC – Americans want Congress to pass legislation that puts Dreamers on a path to citizenship. Polling shows that even 70% of Republican voters support a legislative solution.

Passing the Dream Act is fully mainstream. This is evidenced not only by the polling, but by the impressive numbers of American companies adding their names to the fight, and the massive amount of funds being raised to support urgent DACA renewals.

Nearly 800 American Business Leaders Call for Congress to Pass Dreamer Legislation: An updated letter released today and calling on Congress to “immediately pass the bipartisan DREAM Act – or similar legislation – that gives Dreamers the permanent legislative solution they deserve,” features the signatures of nearly 800 leaders of American business. Organized by FWD.us, the letter signatories include such notables as Warren Buffett and leaders of such companies as General Motors, Walmart, Starbucks, Facebook, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Google, Marriott, Apple, Amazon, Hyatt, Visa, and Kaiser Permanente. The letter, which was addressed to congressional leaders of both parties, also notesthat, “Dreamers are vital to the future of our companies & economy.”

Americans Help DACA Recipients Gather their Renewal Fees: For current DACA recipients whose work permit and status expires on or before March 5, 2018, renewal applications have to be submitted and in the hands of DHS by October 5th – a new, arbitrary, and costly deadline for a quarter of the 800,000 DACA beneficiaries.  As Suzanne Gamboa writes at NBC News, a wide array of supporters from across America are stepping up to help assist with DACA recipients’ renewal fees, in light of the urgency and need: “Groups and individuals are urgently raising money to help young immigrants meet an Oct. 5 deadline to renew their permission to stay in the U.S., at a cost of $495 each. All across the country, immigration and community groups, and in the case of Rhode Island its governor, are providing ‘scholarships’ and loans to cover the fee for immigrants to renew their enrollment in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program.” To see a breakdown of efforts to assist DACA renewals across America, see here.

In addition to the support for Congress enacting an urgent solution, the economic evidence of Dreamers’ contributions continues to mount.  A study released yesterday by the Center for American Progress found that passing the Dream Act and placing eligible Dreamers on a path to legal status would, “add a total of $22.7 billion annually to the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP). Because the gains from legalization grow each year, the cumulative increase in GDP over 10 years would be $281 billion.”

According to Lynn Tramonte, Deputy Director of America’s Voice Education Fund, “There’s clear support for Dreamers across American society, from American businesses to ordinary people. It’s common sense, not controversial, to make it possible for young people who grew up in America to stay here and keep building their lives. If Congress does its job and passes legislation that reflects this mainstream position, Republicans and Democrats alike will be praised for actually following through on a rational policy that helps people and moves the country forward.”

 

Follow Frank Sharry and America’s Voice Education Fund on Twitter: @FrankSharry and @AmericasVoice

America’s Voice Education Fund – Harnessing the power of American voices and American values to win common sense immigration reform

www.americasvoice.org

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