Ed Markey: “I thank the Presiding Officer for presiding today. I thank the Senator from Illinois, Dick Durbin, for organizing all of…”

“I thank the Presiding Officer for presiding today. I thank the Senator from Illinois, Dick Durbin, for organizing all of us this afternoon to speak on behalf of these Dreamers. His leadership has been critical in this fight for the dignity and recognition of hundreds of thousands of wonderful young people who know no other home than the United States of America. For 5 years, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals--or DACA-- Program, has created security and opportunity for young immigrants around the country, but now the futures of some 800,000 young people-- 7,900 of them in Massachusetts--are needlessly in jeopardy because President Trump has coldheartedly repealed DACA. DACA has been a hugely successful program. It has provided so many young immigrants safety, security, dignity, respect, and opportunity. These are young people who study, who work, who live next-door to us every single day. They are our friends, our neighbors, and our loved ones. I would like to speak for a few minutes about one of these DACA beneficiaries. She is 28-year-old Paola Sanchez, who came to the United States from Bolivia when she was 14 years old. Paola's father passed away when she was just 8 years old. Her mother was in a wheelchair and was unable to work. With her family facing hardship, Paola came to America to live with an aunt and uncle in New York. There, Paola worked in the manufacturing industry while she attended high school full time.…”