7 DEC 2022
U.S. Mayors Brainard and Schember, Cities for Action, and the NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, Gather with DACA Recipient to Urge Congress to Protect Dreamers Permanently
Bipartisan call underscored economic contributions of Dreamers to communities across the country
For a recording of the webinar, click here.
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Mayor Brainard (R-Carmel, IN) and Mayor Schember (D-Erie, PA), along with Cities for Action, the NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, and DACA recipient Juan Jose Martinez-Guevara, held a press call where they called on Congress to pass legislation this year to protect Dreamers who have been living in limbo for far too long. The call comes on the heels of emerging reports that Senators Sinema and Tillis have reached a potential bipartisan legislative deal on DACA and follows a bipartisan letter, signed by over 70 mayors including Mayors Brainard and Schember, urging Congress to enact permanent protections for Dreamers during this lame duck session. As the courts are geared to end the DACA program as soon as next year and as an incoming GOP-controlled house is determined to block any meaningful attempt at immigration reform, it’s now or never for Dreamers.
“Dreamers, including DACA recipients and DACA-eligible people, are integral to our communities locally and nationally and they deserve to live in the U.S. without constant fear of deportation,” said Manuel Castro, Commissioner of the NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs. “The DACA program — in constant danger of being ended — is not enough and we need Congress to propose a lasting solution. I join NYC Mayor Eric Adams and over 70 Mayors and County Executives in a bi-partisan call on Congress to enact permanent protections for Dreamers.”
“Allowing children who were brought to our country and know no other culture or nation should be embraced,” said Mayor Brainard of Carmel, Indiana. “The United States of America was founded on the idea that it was to be a country for people and refugees from many different countries who wanted a better life in a free nation for themselves and their families. We must neither forget that history nor that dream. That dream and that hope is part and parcel of our country's heritage.”
“Dreamers make up the essential fabric of our communities, of our economies, and of our homes. As leaders who were elected to leave our cities better than we found them, it is our responsibility to provide a better future for those who contribute so much,” said Mayor Schember of Erie, Pennsylvania. “I am proud to say that Erie has always been a home for refugees. Time and time again we have opened our doors and our hearts to those searching for a safe place to rest, to live, and to work. I never want to see a day where Dreamers are not free to work and contribute to Erie.”
“If these court rulings have made anything clear, it is that DACA is not enough,” said Juan Jose Martinez-Guevara, Texas Advocacy Coordinator for United We Dream. “We need Congress, including my Senator, Senator Cornyn, to step-up and take action on citizenship this year.”
During the call, the city leaders doubled down on the economic impact of Dreamers in communities and local economies across the country. A recent report by FWD.us showed that state economies have expanded by billions of dollars because of contributions from DACA: New York ($3.0 billion), Indiana ($1.3 billion), and Pennsylvania ($1.1 billion).
Between 2013 and present, DACA recipients in Indiana have paid over $192 million in federal taxes and over $164 million in state and local taxes. In New York, they’ve already paid $748 million and $523 million respectively. And in Pennsylvania, DACA recipients have paid over $221 million in federal taxes and over $152 million in state and local taxes in the last decade. The U.S. economy cannot afford to give up the tremendous contributions that DACA recipients can make to our economy and workforce.
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