Raúl Grijalva: “I thank my esteemed colleague for yielding time to me. Mr. Speaker, each day that Congress delays action on the Dream…”

“I thank my esteemed colleague for yielding time to me. Mr. Speaker, each day that Congress delays action on the Dream Act, 122 people lose their temporary protected status granted by DACA. Since the Trump September 5 announcement, 11,182 young people have lost their DACA status and face the daily threat of being detained and deported. Time and time again, House Democrats have pleaded to Republicans and their leadership the urgency of finding a legislative solution that would permanently protect DREAMers. We have pleaded and explained the economic benefit, $23 billion yearly contributed by DREAMers to the GDP of this Nation. We have pleaded with the Republican leadership to bring a Dream Act to the House floor that is just and fair without the trappings of xenophobia, division, or hate. We have pleaded that the DREAMers have not committed a crime. It was not an act of volition on their part as children. We must move beyond the political calculations about race, us-versus- them divisions in this country, and scapegoating. The House has an opportunity and the authority to vote on a clean Dream Act and embrace the shared values and humanity of this Nation, while rejecting the politically manufactured hysteria. Mr. Speaker, I ask a ``no'' vote on the previous question so that H.R. 3440, the Dream Act, can come to the House floor.”