LCLAA Commends the Introduction of the DREAM Act

Washington, DC - LCLAA commends Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin and Senator Lindsey Graham’s bipartisan reintroduction of the DREAM Act and their continued commitment to champion human rights. This vital bill would provide a pathway to citizenship for immigrant families, including Dreamers, and address the uncertainty that has hung for far too long over the heads of many across the nation. 

This introduction comes at a critical time as DACA is facing increasing challenges through the courts, with nine states asking a federal judge to shut down the program earlier this year. For over ten years DACA has protected the economic security, well-being, and physical safety of hundreds of thousands of families. It has enabled recipients to secure jobs with higher pay and safer working conditions and has provided work authorization to over 830,000 young individuals. 

We applaud the actions taken as they not only recognize the worth of immigrants in our nation but also recognize their humanity. We urge all our members and allies to join us and urge lawmakers to come together to create a pathway to citizenship once and for all. 

Yanira Merino, National President of the Labor Council of Latin American Advancement, on the bill’s introduction, “The DREAM Act has a long history in our nation and has always held the immense potential to provide a pathway to citizenship for families. It is time that we leverage our intersectional solidarity with the labor movement and with advocacy groups to usher this bill to the finish line.”