Speech #CREC-2018-01-10-pt1-PgS130_t9

It is the only country he has ever known. He received a full scholarship to attend Southern Connecticut State University, and he is set to graduate this spring with an honors degree in economics and math. His dream is to attend law school, but due to the uncertainty surrounding DACA, he has decided to delay applying, knowing he will be unable to receive scholarships without his DACA status. He could attend, but he can't pay for it with scholarships unless he has that DACA status. Jonathan first became compelled to speak up and tell his story after his father was deported, and they were unable to even say goodbye. Despite his own struggles, Jonathan is a passionate advocate for his community, and he actively works for Connecticut Students for a Dream. That organization, Connecticut Students for a Dream, is a group of students who help empower and advocate on behalf of other undocumented students. In fact, today, Jonathan is in DC to help ensure that the voices of students are, in fact, heard. Jonathan is a volunteer peer mentor through that organization because he is so passionate about raising graduation rates and ensuring that all students like himself have the support they need to succeed. During his senior year, Jonathan has been interning at an immigration law firm, and he is glad to be helping others gain legal status in this country. The irony is not lost on him--and should not be lost on us-- that he, himself, could face deportation this year. If Jonathan is not permitted to stay--if Congress does not act and he loses his DACA protection--Connecticut and this Nation will be the losers. Connecticut and this Nation will lose an educated and compassionate public service- minded individual who gives back to his community, to his fellow students, and to our State. He is just one example of the estimated 10,000 like him in Connecticut--and at least 700,000 around the country--who could lose their status in March if Congress fails to act now. Very simply, we have an obligation to do our job and provide permanent status and a path to citizenship for the Dreamers. The hopeful news is, there is broad bipartisan support for affording the Dreamers protection against mass, draconian deportation. Our challenge is to make sure that what we do here reflects that broad bipartisan support in this Chamber and around the country because America knows it has made a promise. It made a promise to those Dreamers, and great countries do not break promises. Last night, a Federal district court issued a preliminary injunction ordering DHS--the Department of Homeland Security--to resume accepting renewal applications. Once again, the courts have served as a bulwark for basic rights under rule of law, but this reprieve is no final remedy. We must redouble our determination to protect these young people from draconian, mass deportation--a continuing threat as long as President Trump refuses to reverse his cruel, unconscionable policy. A Federal judge has struck down President Trump's order as unconstitutional, but a Dream Act is no less necessary today than it was yesterday. Congress should waste no time in swiftly passing clean legislation--a clean Dream Act to protect these young people. When DACA was adopted in 2012, it changed the lives of young people like Jonathan. It opened new vistas. It provided Dreamers with the opportunity to get driver's licenses, to attend college, to become productive members of our economy. Importantly, when DACA was adopted, we made that promise to these young people. We promised that if they came forward and provided the United States of America with information, some of the most personal information any of us have--information about their addresses, employment, dates of birth, their families--we would not use that information against them. They had a place here under DACA. They had rights--moral, if not legal. That promise is now about to be broken.