CAPAC Praises Obama Administration for Providing Relief for DREAM Students
Washington, DC – Today, the Obama Administration announced that DREAM students – students who were brought to the United States as young children, do not present a risk to national security or public safety, and meet several key criteria – will be granted relief from the threat of deportation and become eligible for work permits. This announcement marks the most significant effort by the U.S. government to provide relief to these students since the House of Representatives passed the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act in 2010. Following the announcement, Reps. Judy Chu (CA-32), Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), and Mike Honda (CA-15), CAPAC Immigration Taskforce Chair, released the following statements:
Rep. Judy Chu (CA-32), CAPAC Chair: “Every year, tens of thousands of young people who were raised as Americans, in American schools, cannot benefit from the opportunities afforded by a college education simply because of their parents’ mistakes. Today, the Obama Administration took a momentous step forward in bringing these DREAM students out of the shadows so they can contribute to the success of our nation. As Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, I am particularly grateful for what today’s announcement will mean for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, who account for one out of every ten DREAM eligible students. CAPAC commends the President for taking actions to address our nation’s outdated and broken immigration system, and we hope this serves as a wake-up call for Congress to move forward with the legislative solutions that our country needs.”
Rep. Mike Honda (CA-15), CAPAC Immigration Taskforce Chair: As Chair Emeritus and an American, I am proud to stand with President Obama’s landmark decision to protect young, hardworking, and high-achieving DREAMers and make us achieve a perfect union. Of the plus 200,000 DREAM students from Asia, 40% are from my home state of California. These young people already contribute to our society and economy, and we owe them a chance to continue their pursuit of the American life and dream. Today, our President gave them this chance. Let this be a clarion call to Congress to rise and do our part to make their dream a reality.
Sen. Daniel K. Akaka (HI): “I am proud of President Obama for taking strong action on this important domestic policy issue which has been blocked from action in Congress for too long. The United States is a nation with a long history of immigrants contributing to the growth of our great nation. Young people who entered this country as children through no fault of their own, contribute to their communities, and view America as the only home they've ever known, should not have to fear deportation at every turn.
“However, this is not a long term solution – we need to do more. We need to continue the conversation on comprehensive immigration reform, beginning with a vote on the DREAM Act. I cosponsored this common-sense bill, which offers a sensible step towards immigration reform, makes our nation stronger, and treats upstanding young people with dignity. It encourages military service, provides an incentive for higher education, and helps young people contribute. I urge my colleagues to make this Administration’s decision permanent by enacting the DREAM Act this year.”
Rep. Barbara Lee (CA-9): “I applaud today’s decision by President Obama. Young people who have been trained and educated in the United States should be allowed to remain in this country and be rewarded for their contributions to our society. They are integral to America's next generation of leadership and innovation, and it is a moral imperative to keep their families together by making comprehensive immigration reform a top priority in Congress. Legislation to provide a permanent protection to young undocumented students has been blocked in the U.S. Senate. The bill, known as the DREAM Act, would provide a path to citizenship for illegal immigrant children who go to college or join the military. President Obama’s announcement today is a temporary policy that will apply to nearly 800,000 immigrants students who were brought to the United States as young children, do not present a risk to national security or public safety, and meet several key criteria, such as arriving in the U.S. before their sixteenth birthday and graduating from an American high school, serving in the military, or getting admitted to an institution of higher education. While President Obama’s announcement is a step in the right direction, this is not a permanent solution or a substitution for Congressional action. I will continue to fight for, and urge my colleagues to pass, the DREAM Act so that we can provide these young people who came to America and excelled, the full range of opportunities they have earned. Today’s announcement underscores the need to pass comprehensive immigration reform.”
Rep. Doris Matsui (CA-5): "As a supporter of the DREAM Act, I am pleased that the President is taking a strong stand toward reforming our immigration policy. It is a sensible policy that is long overdue. Specifically, it is targeted toward young people who were brought to the United States as young children and have grown up to know this country as home. They are law abiding citizens, and this will give them an opportunity to continue contributing to our economy. As the President said, it is the right thing to do."
Rep. Karen Bass (CA-33): “As President Obama stated during today’s announcement of the new Homeland Security directive, this ‘makes sense’. I applaud the President and Secretary Napolitano for their exceptional leadership and action to allow youth who are eligible for the DREAM Act to continue to call America home. This provision is a symbol of what America is all about and provides security for young people who have been raised and educated here the opportunity to officially grow roots in their communities and provide them with an outlet to fuel their desire to build a stronger nation together.”
Rep. Joe Crowley (NY-7): “Today’s announcement is a great step forward in improving our nation’s immigration policy, and I applaud President Obama’s decisive action to protect young immigrants who were brought here as children and have stayed on the right path since then. These are kids who live here, go to school here, and want nothing more than to continue giving back to the country they love. But instead of these kids having a real shot at the American dream, they have a continuous cloud hanging over their heads that makes it harder for them to go to college, serve in our Armed Forces, or work to support their families. Today’s announcement gives us the chance to change the status quo and bring a ray of hope to this generation. This move not only is a significant step forward that will change the lives of young immigrants in New York City and throughout the country, but also illustrates the urgent need for reform of our immigration system. I hope that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will recognize this and will join me in passing comprehensive immigration reform as soon as possible.”
Rep. Raul Grijalva (AZ-7): "This is a sensible solution that allows us, as a national community, to help hundreds of thousands of young adolescents trapped in legal limbo. This is a wonderful day for them, their families, and the many millions of us who believe in fairness and opportunity. I applaud President Obama's decision to extend the American dream to a new generation of deserving individuals. While this change is not a permanent solution, it is a major step in the right direction. The rhetoric of division and marginalizing of people by Mitt Romney and the Republican party needs to end. We are past the point of obstruction. We need to solve the problem. This action by President Obama will move us forward together as a country and as a single American people."
Rep. Charlie Rangel (NY-15): "As a proud co-sponsor of the DREAM Act, I am thrilled by this announcement. I applaud the President for taking initiative on a critical issue that Congress has not been able to resolve,” said Congressman Charles B. Rangel [D-NY] who was one of the earliest co-sponsors of the DREAM Act since it was first introduced in 2001. "Ultimately, what we must recognize,” Rangel continued, “is that our immigrant communities are just as American as the rest of us. They came here to pursue the American Dream; they believed that education and hard work could lead to a better life. The shift in policy by the Department of Homeland Security is a shift toward justice. It recognizes that people brought here as children by their parents deserve a fair shot at success in this country, not deportation."
Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34): “Today’s announcement represents a long overdue step forward for our nation and for the thousands of undocumented children who have called America home for most of their lives. Ending the deportation of DREAM Act-eligible youth makes both moral and fiscal sense, freeing up our immigration authorities to focus on dangerous offenders. This new policy reflects what I’ve always believed: Kids who grow up in our communities, work hard in the classroom, know no other country and love America like we all do, deserve the chance to stay here. With this decision, President Obama has once again demonstrated his unswerving commitment to giving every child a fair shot at the American dream. Of course, the struggle for immigrant rights is far from over. Now the challenge for all of us in Congress is to duplicate the President’s courage and compassion. We owe it to these patriotic kids to finally pass the DREAM Act and give them a chance to become citizens of the only country they have ever known.”
Rep. Loretta Sanchez (CA-47): “As a supporter of the Dream Act for years, this executive order will have a lasting impact on many young individuals throughout Orange County and our country. As a senior member of the House Homeland Security Committee, I have always worked towards ensuring that ICE and DHS target individuals who pose a threat to our country and community. I am glad the President will continue to apply prosecutorial discretion during deportation proceedings. So many young people are not able to graduate and live their lives because they have been in the shadows of our society with the fear of deportation always on their mind. This will now provide those students an opportunity to give back to the community and country they know so well. I look forward to continue working with the President and my colleagues here in Congress to push for a comprehensive approach to immigration reform.”
Rep. Linda Sánchez (CA-39): “I applaud President Obama for taking a positive step toward reforming our immigration system. Those who work hard and abide by our laws should have the opportunity to educate themselves and help our great nation prosper and grow. These changes will make a world of difference to the hundreds of young people in my district who want to give back to the country they call home. It is my hope that the Republican leadership will follow the President’s example and pass the DREAM Act in the House of Representatives.”
Rep. Adam Schiff (CA-29): "Through this new immigration procedure, the government will no longer deport young people who would have been eligible to stay under the DREAM Act. For these students who came to the United States as children, this is the only country that they know. They have worked hard, gotten good grades, and stayed out of trouble. They want to go to college but can’t, because their parents illegally brought them to the United States. It also applies to those who have honorably served this country in the armed services. This is an initiative – like the Dream Act – that I support, and will greatly benefit a number of students and service members throughout our community."
Rep. Adam Smith (WA-9): "The President's announcement today provides relief for undocumented individuals and is a significant step in ensuring we apply our immigration laws fairly. Often, these children were brought here through no choice of their own. Now, as young adults, they pose no threat to our national security or public safety, and deserve a chance to continue contributing to society and to work at achieving their American dream. I commend the President for his action today, but the deferred relief extended to these young adults is only temporary. I urge my colleagues in Congress to pass the DREAM Act into law and move forward with comprehensive immigration reform to ensure we provide a suitable path to citizenship and equal opportunity for those who have only known this country as their home."
Rep. Jackie Speier (CA-12): “This fix will help hundreds of thousands of young people who are in an immigration Catch-22. Brought to the U.S. as young children by their parents who came from their home countries without legal documentation, the people helped by this new policy call America their home. They have grown up here, yet they are not citizens like their college roommates, basketball teammates or next door neighbors and they could be deported at any time to a country whose language they may not even know. The Administration’s decision means that eligible young people will be allowed to apply for basic relief from removal from the country and also for work permits. This is a good start. In Congress, we must still act to pass the DREAM Act that will provide these deserving individuals with the status to live and thrive in the country legally.”
To read the full Department of Homeland Security press release, click here.
To read Secretary Napolitano’s memo, click here.
To read Frequently Asked Questions, click here.
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The Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) is comprised of Members of Congress of Asian and Pacific Islander descent and members who have a strong dedication to promoting the well-being of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Currently chaired by Congresswoman Judy Chu, CAPAC has been addressing the needs of the AAPI community in all areas of American life since it was founded in 1994.