DREAMERS SKEPTICAL OF DEMOCRAT IMMIGRATION PROPOSAL

**STATEMENT**

DREAMERS SKEPTICAL OF DEMOCRAT IMMIGRATION PROPOSAL

Oct. 2, Washington, D.C. -Today, Reps. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Xavier Bacerra (D-CA) led a group of Democrats to announce the new immigration legislation that they would be pushing in the House. While we, the DREAM Action Coalition, are happy to see this progress, we are still skeptical of its chances, and hope that Democrats are not just playing immigration politics.

Democrats explained that this bill is very similar to the Gang of 8 legislation, which passed the Senate with 68 votes earlier this year, except they replaced the Corker-Hoeven Amendment with a security measure which passed the GOP-controlled House Homeland Security Committee last May. It also has the path to citizenship provisions.

Unfortunately, Democrats know Republican leadership will not touch anything being led by Leader Pelosi.

If Pelosi’s bill is not able to gather support, as is the very likely scenario, Democrats and Republicans must come to a sensible and practical discussion. The path to citizenship should not be used as a political weapon to hurt the other party or kill any chance of reform, including piecemeal legislation. This is not true, however, of bills like Rep.Gowdy’s (R-SC) SAFE Act, which is poised to make Arizona’s notorious SB 1070 national policy.

While Democrats, like Sen. Schumer (D-NY) and Rep. Becerra are fond of using “path to citizenship” as talking points, we have proven DREAMers will hold Democrats accountable. President Obama must also act to stop deportations. The President has a choice whether to secure a legacy of bringing families together or a legacy of broken promises to Latinos. So far, record deportation numbers speak for themselves.

We will work with members from both sides of the aisle to make sure our families are safe from deportations starting this year. Both parties are to blame on the current, dysfunctional state of the immigration system, but either party can offer a solution we, and the immigrant community, would support.