Other agencies play an important roledefense. intelligence. transportationbut the Department of Homeland Security is the coordinating department for Americas safety against terrorism. That is why it is incredible to me that we have refused to provide the funds the Department of Homeland Security needs to keep America safe. The Republicans insisted in December. in the House of Representatives. they would not pass the appropriations bill for one department. the Department of Homeland Security. because they wanted to enter into a debate with the President over immigration policy. There is nothing wrong with a debate over immigration policy. In fact. the Republicans. now in the majority control of the House and Senate. could have started that debate weeks ago. They didnt. Instead. they attached five riders to the Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill. and they said: We will not allow that Department to be properly funded unless the President accepts these five immigration riders. I wish to speak to one of those riders because it really tells the story of the feelings of many on the Republican side when it comes to immigration. Fourteen years ago I introduced the DREAM Act. The DREAM Act is very basic. If you were brought to America as an infant. a toddler. a child by your parents. and you were undocumented in America. we believe you still deserve a chance. As children. they didnt vote on the family decision to come to America. but their lives have been changed because of that decision. They have lived in Americamany of these young peopleundocumented. growing up. going to school. doing everything every child around them did. and then finally knowing they didnt have the necessary legal documentation to stay in this country.
Keywords matched
immigration undocumented