Norma Torres: “It has been 2 weeks since I last stood here to ask the House to bring the Dream Act to a vote. Thirty-four of my…”

“It has been 2 weeks since I last stood here to ask the House to bring the Dream Act to a vote. Thirty-four of my colleagues, my Republican colleagues, have sent a letter to Republican Speaker Ryan asking for action to protect DREAMers before the holidays because they understand the urgency. What are we waiting for? Republicans continue to state that we have until March to resolve this issue, but that is simply not true. 122 DREAMers lose protection every single day. {time} 1245 That means that 122 intelligent, hardworking Americans, by every right except birth, are losing their ability to continue their education, to work and contribute to our economy. Are we willing to stop the deportations of hundreds of thousands of young DREAMers or not? This is not a partisan question. This is the question of who we are as Americans. Let's put an end to the fear and uncertainty that DREAMers have been living with these past few months. We have been clear. This Congress must not finish this year without providing a permanent fix for DREAMers, their families, and the communities that depend on them. It is unconscionable. This is not who we are. Mr. Speaker, many of my Republican colleagues support action on the Dream Act before the holidays. Many have said so publicly. The majority of Americans want us to act now. Mr. Speaker, 1,708 DACA recipients have lost their status since I last stood here 2 weeks ago. This isn't hard. The fix is right in front of us.…”