Nydia M. Velazquez: “As Republicans demonstrate their inability to fund the Federal Government, 700,000 young people are left with an…”

“As Republicans demonstrate their inability to fund the Federal Government, 700,000 young people are left with an uncertain future. These DREAMers exemplify what is best about America. They have served in our military. They have built businesses and contributed to our communities. This administration has waged an all-out assault on these young people, placing them in jeopardy and sowing fear that they will be sent back to countries that they do not even know. And now Republicans in Congress are turning their back on these young people as well. We could have passed a fix to this problem as part of a government funding bill. That would have been a bipartisan solution, and it would have been supported by the vast majority of the American people. Eighty-seven percent of Americans say DREAMers should be allowed to stay in the United States, yet President Trump is holding these young people hostage for a useless and offensive border wall. This is unconscionable. We have a moral obligation to act. Congress needs to stay here and have an open vote on a clean DREAM Act. That is our moral obligation. ____________________”