Without options and on the verge of losing the protections that allow them to remain in the only country they know, hundreds of undocumented youth have descended on the nation's capital, putting everything on the line to pass the bipartisan DREAM Act.
These courageous men and women have staged sit-ins and "die-ins" at the offices of members of Congress - Republicans and Democrats alike - to urge them not to vote for a spending bill without this critical piece of legislation. With some exceptions, DREAMers have been greeted with pleas for patience. They have been assured Congress will address their status before the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program officially expires in March, perhaps even sooner.
That would be a reasonable request if tens of thousands hadn’t already lost DACA protections. With each passing day, an additional 122 undocumented young people are put at risk of deportation. Passage of the DREAM Act is urgent; it’s a moral imperative and for some, a matter of life and death.
It’s also true that DREAMers have demonstrated extraordinary patience given their circumstances.
Shortly after the September rescission of DACA, Democratic Leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi met with President Trump and top Republicans and emerged triumphant - they told DREAMers that relief would come “quickly.” What followed was a mediatic victory lap but no legislative progress. Still, Leader Pelosi reassured the public in November, “We will not leave here without the DREAM Act passing with a DACA fix.”
As December approached, it became clear that the White House never intended to act in good faith and Democrats would have to find another way forward. They would have to use all their leverage to force a vote on the DREAM Act. Attaching the DREAM Act to the December spending bill would be the best way to guarantee its passage.
Some Democrats, including Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) and members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus have demonstrated political courage in their steadfast commitment to voting against any spending bill that does not include the DREAM Act. Unfortunately, other Democrats have been unwilling to make the same pledge. A growing number of DREAMers will pay the price of their lack of resolve.
A vote for the spending bill without the DREAM Act is a moral failure. Democrats can prevent an American tragedy by holding the line on the DREAM Act. Their actions will have consequences beyond the nearly 800,000 DACA recipients. DREAMers are the children, siblings, parents, and friends of U.S. citizens…and voters.