16 DEC 2022
PRESS CALL: National Latino Leaders Respond to Senate’s Failure to Deliver Bipartisan Deal to Protect Dreamers
For a recording of the press call, click here.
WASHINGTON, DC – After Senate Republicans failed to come to the table to deliver a bipartisan deal that included a pathway to citizenship for over two million Dreamers, Latino leaders from around the country gathered for a press call held by United We Dream, Mi Familia Vota, Community Change Action, the Immigration Hub, and UnidosUs. They were also joined by Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Raul Ruiz (D-CA).
Seventy-eight percent of Latino voters in battleground states support Congress taking action to protect Dreamers if a federal court overturns the DACA program – which could happen as soon as next year. Latino voters have given Congress a mandate to find a way forward so that Dreamers don’t have to continue to live and work in limbo.
In conjunction with the press call, the Immigration Hub and UnidosUS released a letter signed by 66 Latino leaders from across the country, reminding Congress that immigration is a deeply personal and important issue for Latino communities across the U.S. and Latino voters are paying close attention to see who steps up to protect Dreamers during this critical time.
“Minority Leader McConnell, Senator Cornyn, and the rest of the GOP have, once again, demonstrated their cruel calculus. Despite all their talk about the importance of addressing migration and safety at the border, they chose to walk away from a deal that would have enormously increased investments in border security, with up to $40 billion for border infrastructure and agents. Republicans don’t want solutions; they want to continue to politicize the issue in their pursuit of power. They’ve conned America, and it’s gross negligence,” said Sergio Gonzales, Executive Director of the Immigration Hub. “With the courts threatening to end DACA, Dreamers who work as doctors, nurses, teachers and in many important roles in our communities could lose their jobs and face the threat of deportation. This is absolutely unacceptable. With the support of the American people who want and demand action to protect Dreamers and immigrant families from deportation, we are committed to continuing our work alongside United We Dream, the millions of Dreamers and their families, and countless immigrant rights advocates who will relentlessly fight to deliver on the promise of a path to citizenship.”
“Millions of young undocumented immigrants are–once again–pushed into limbo because of Republican’s refusal to pass permanent protections. DACA recipients, those who don’t qualify for DACA and so many others are in limbo, watching Republicans attack the program and the courts dismantle it,” said Lorella Praeli, Co-President of Community Change Action. “Citizenship for our communities is long overdue, and Congress can achieve it while protecting the rights of people seeking safety and helping communities to choose welcome. We won’t stop until we get it done.”
“It has been nearly 40 years since the last time Congress passed legislation that provided citizenship for millions of people. Some people say that doing the right thing is hard. But I don’t think this is hard at all. Providing citizenship for immigrant youth is incredibly popular. Polling after polling after polling shows overwhelming support for citizenship for DACA recipients and other immigrant youth,” said Greisa Martinez Rosas, Executive Director of United We Dream. “It defies logic that doing something immensely popular would be this difficult. So my ask of Congress is simple. Do the easy thing. Do your job - pass citizenship through whatever means possible. Have the courage and resilience that immigrants show up with every single day. Every - single - day for the last 10 years. Congress cannot throw their hands up and walk away, we need them to act with urgency, because lives depend on it.”
“We are frustrated and disappointed by reports that Congress walked away from a serious and real opportunity to not only address the urgent need to protect DREAMers, but also to make important investments to address the situation along the border,” said Eric Rodriguez, Senior Vice President for Policy and Advocacy at UnidosUS. “Our community and the overwhelming majority of Americans who support sensible immigration reforms have been waiting far too long. We need our leaders to prioritize this issue next year.”
“This past election cycle in Arizona and Nevada the Latino community made their voices heard at the ballot box. Their message was simple: we want action on immigration. We must find a way to protect DACA recipients,” said Hector Sanchez, Executive Director and CEO of Mi Familia Vota. “DACA is extremely popular among Latino voters. Latino voters want to get immigration reform done. They are tired of the excuses, they want action for immigrants, now. This is a core, personal issue for our community. Mi Familia Vota will hold all politicians accountable to the priorities of our community. We are demanding solutions. Republicans have killed this bill, again and voters will not forget their inaction and repeated attacks on DACA.”
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The Immigration Hub is a national organization dedicated to advancing fair and just immigration policies through strategic leadership, innovative communications strategies, legislative advocacy and collaborative partnerships.