FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 18, 2017
Contact: Matt Baca (505) 270-7148
As Holiday Recess Approaches, 20 Attorneys General Urge Congress To Pass Clean DREAM Act; Stress Need To “Ensure That Dreamers Can Continue To Thrive Without Fear Of Deportation”
WASHINGTON, D.C — As the holiday district work period for Congress approaches, Attorney General Balderas joined 19 other Attorneys General on the statement released below urging Congress to pass the Dream Act before adjourning.
The statement reads:
“As our states’ chief legal officers, we urge Congress to pass the Dream Act before adjourning for the holidays. Congress must act to address the status of the youth and young adults who were brought into our country as children and who now live, work and attend school in our communities. These “Dreamers” are law-abiding residents who have passed extensive background checks, are employed, pay taxes and volunteer in countless ways to enrich our states. They are parents, community leaders, homeowners, and founders of businesses.”
“In addition to individuals who are currently losing their DACA status as Congress deliberates, come March, thousands of individuals will begin to lose their DACA protections daily.”
“As fellow leaders entrusted by the voters to protect the health, safety and well-being of our states’ residents, we ask members of Congress to address this critically important matter without further delay, as you have repeatedly committed to do, to ensure that Dreamers can continue to thrive without fear of deportation.”
Joining Attorney General Balderas in the statement are: California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen, Delaware Attorney General Mat Denn, District of Columbia Attorney General Karl Racine, Hawaii Attorney General Doug Chin, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, Maine Attorney General Janet Mills, Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Kilmartin, Vermont Attorney General T.J. Donovan, Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring, and Washington
Attorney General Bob Ferguson.
In July, 20 Attorneys General called upon President Trump to save the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that required extensive background checks and protects nearly 800,000 undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children from deportation, and offered to help him defend it in court. Letter available here. On September 6, 1017, 16 Attorneys General filed suit in New York federal court challenging Trump’s sunset of DACA.
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