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Washington, D.C. –Today, House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) delivered the following opening statement for the markup of H.R. 2820, the Dream Act:
"H.R. 2820, the "Dream Act of 2019," is vital legislation that would finally provide permanent protections for Dreamers—the undocumented people who were brought to this country as children, many of whom have lived here for most of their lives. They are our neighbors and co-workers, they are classmates with our children, and they serve in our military with distinction. It is long past time that we make the same commitment to them that they have made to our country.
"Many Dreamers do not even know they are undocumented until they reach their mid-teens and seek to work, drive, or go to college. This is when they discover they are unable to work legally, to obtain driver’s licenses in most states, or to obtain financial assistance for post-secondary education.
"Suddenly, the bright futures they imagined for themselves appear to come to a crashing end.
"In 2012, to encourage these young people to come out of the shadows, and to enable them to contribute more fully to our country, then-Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano announced the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals initiative, or DACA.
"DACA is an exercise of prosecutorial discretion, providing temporary relief from deportation to Dreamers who meet certain criteria. DACA has enabled almost 800,000 eligible young adults to work lawfully, to attend school, and to plan their lives without the constant threat of deportation.
"Sadly, in September 2017, their futures were once again thrown into uncertainty when the Trump Administration decided to end DACA. Thankfully, multiple temporary injunctions have partially preserved the protection for DACA recipients for the time being. Just last week, the Fourth Circuit held that the Trump Administration’s attempted termination of DACA was unlawful.
"DACA, however, has never been the long-term answer for Dreamers. It is a far cry from the permanent protections that they most deserve. That is why it is necessary that we pass the Dream Act of 2019 today.
"This legislation creates a program to allow Dreamers who came to the United States before the age of 18, and who meet other, very specific, eligibility requirements, to earn permanent residence.
"It is undeniable that Dreamers enrich our nation. They are an essential part of our communities, where they contribute to our thriving economy and make America a stronger, more united, and more diverse nation. Dreamers come from many different backgrounds and all walks of life, but they are connected by one common thread—their commitment to this country.
"If we do nothing to protect Dreamers, hundreds of thousands of these young people will remain at risk of imminent removal from their homes and separation from their families. They will be sent to countries where they likely have minimal ties—and, in many cases, no ties at all.
"Having grown up in America, many do not speak the language of their country of birth, and they are completely unfamiliar with that country’s cultural norms. It would be manifestly unfair to remove them from the only country they have ever really known, and to send them to what is essentially a foreign land. It would also be decidedly foolish to deprive America of the economic and social contributions that Dreamers make to their communities every day.
"For this reason, it is vital that we pass the Dream Act, remembering that Dreamers are our neighbors and our peers, and that more than three-quarters of Americans support congressional efforts to provide permanent protections for them.
"I would like to thank my colleagues, Lucille Roybal-Allard, Pramila Jayapal, and Zoe Lofgren, the distinguished Chair of the Immigration Subcommittee, for their tireless efforts to craft this bill and to prepare it for markup. Their steadfast support for Dreamers is to be commended.
"Members on both sides of the aisle—and even, at times, President Trump—have expressed sympathy for the Dreamers and a desire to do right by them. I say to my colleagues: today is our chance. We have legislation before us that would end the legal uncertainty that hangs over the Dreamers and would provide them the relief they so sorely need.
"I hope that all of my colleagues will stand up for them when it truly counts and will support the Dream Act of 2019 today."
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