9 DEC 2022
ICYMI: Bipartisan Group of Mayors Urge Congress to Pass Permanent Protections for Dreamers Before the End of the Year
WASHINGTON, DC - Mayors from across the aisle and across the country have come together over the last week with Cities for Action, the NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, and United We Dream to call on Congress to pass legislation this year to protect Dreamers who have been living in limbo for far too long. Over 70 mayors released a public bipartisan letter calling on the U.S. Senate to strike a bipartisan deal to pass protections for Dreamers before the end of this year.
Mayor Jim Brainard, a Republican from Carmel, Indiana, and Mayor Joe Schember, a Democrat from Erie, Pennsylvania held a press call with the aforementioned organizations this week, highlighting the positive economic impact of Dreamers in communities and local economies across the country and emphasizing the tremendous negative impacts an end to the program would have for their communities.
In case you missed it…
Gothamist | NYC officials urge lame-duck Congress to OK DACA fixes
“With the fate of immigrant “Dreamers” hanging in legal limbo, Mayor Eric Adams' administration is calling on Congress to grant a path to citizenship to the migrants before Republicans take control of the U.S. House of Representatives next year.
‘It's likely that DACA will disappear, so this year is quite critical,’ said Manuel Castro, commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, referring to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, during a Wednesday panel hosted by the nationwide coalition Cities for Action. ‘As long as Congress doesn’t act to provide relief for 'Dreamers,' we’re stuck.’”
Fronteras | Tucson, Phoenix mayors sign onto a letter advocating for DACA fix in Congress
“Dozens of mayors around the U.S. have signed onto a letter calling for lawmakers to pass legislation to protected undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as kids — also known as "Dreamers."
The letter’s signatories include Tucson Mayor Regina Romero and Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego. They say they’re disappointed by a lack of action from Congress to pass immigration reform for Dreamers — including DACA recipients.
The Obama-era program gives temporary protection from deportation and a work permit to hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. But it’s been in legal limbo for years.”
“‘My support for legislative action on the Dreamers starts with the idea that people are people, and that we need to remember who we are talking about here, undocumented minors who came to this country,’ Reynolds said. ‘From my time teaching at Allen High School, I know I had several Dreamers in my classroom, and I remember listening to their stories of the barriers that they faced in trying to live a life of dignity and follow their American dreams.’
The U.S. House has passed bills granting DACA recipients permanent legal citizenship in the U.S., but the Senate has not done so. The letter urges Democratic leaders in the Senate to act during the “lame-duck period” before the new Congress is sworn in in January.”
KSL.com | Over 70 mayors call on Congress to protect Dreamers — including 1 Utahn
“Mendenhall is the only Utah leader listed on Cities for Action's website and the only Utahn whose signature was on the letter. Although the coalition includes leaders from all but about a dozen states, the letter only included leaders from 25 states and Washington, D.C.
‘I'm grateful for Mayor Mendenhall, her team and Salt Lake City for continuing to be a leader in this space. It is always disappointing that other cities have not included their support, but not surprising given their history,’ said Ciriac Alvarez Valle, a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipient and an immigration policy expert with Utah Voices for Utah Children.”
5 News Online | Fayetteville And Springdale Mayors Sign Letter In Support Of DACA
“Mayors of two local cities are showing their support for children of immigrants, as congress is set to rescind a big part of the DREAM Act.
Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan and Springdale Mayor Doug Sprouse both signed a letter that said they stand with dreamers and believe in the continuation of the DACA program.”
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