There is broad agreement that Congress should provide a pathway to citizenship for immigrant youth and maintain current immigration levels.

Polling

  • CNN, December 2017: 83% of Americans, including 67% of Republican voters, want Dreamers to stay in the U.S.^1

  • Quinnipac, February 2018: A combined 78% of Americans, including 71% of Republican voters, support maintaining current levels of immigration or increasing immigration.^2

Business and Civic Leaders

  • U.S. Conference of Mayors: “Because of the Trump Administration’s decision to terminate DACA in six months, this legislation must be passed as quickly as possible so that the benefits to Dreamers, to our cities, and to our nation can continue. It would remove Dreamers’ fears of deportation and allow them to contribute even more to the country they love, which for many is the only country they have known. They would be able to reach their full potential in many ways, including serving in the military.”^3

  • John Feinblatt, President, New American Economy bringing together more than 500 Republican, Democratic, and Independent mayors and business leaders: “The cost of doing the right thing for Dreamers shouldn’t be a drastic and arbitrary cutback on legal immigration, or the undermining of healthy, bipartisan efforts in Congress. We hope Washington can finally come together on a solution that makes sense for our economy and the country.”^4

  • Jeh Johnson, Janet Napolitano and Michael Chertoff, former Secretaries of the Department of Homeland Security: “Ultimately Congress must decide whether to pass legislation to permanently protect these young people from deportation and allow them to continue contributing to the only nation they have known. We urge them to do so and to act now.”^5

  • Thomas J. Donahue, President and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce: “As the first order of business, Congress must act to address the rescission of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program… In addition, well over 200,000 Temporary Protected Status beneficiaries face deportation, and roughly 30,000 spouses of high-skilled visa holders will have their right to legally work in the U.S. taken away. Altogether, we could lose close to 1 million hardworking individuals from the workforce.”

Educators

  • Marc Egan, Director of Government Relations, National Education Association on behalf of the three million members and the 50 million students they serve: “America’s acceptance of all immigrants reflects the values we strive to adhere to as a nation. Now, more than ever, we need an inclusive and permanent legislative solution to protect DACA recipients and Dreamers. This is a moment for Congress to show the leadership and bipartisanship America is seeking.”^6

  • Shirley V. Hoogstra, President, Council for Christian Colleges & Universities: “Beyond the economic arguments, though, we also feel a moral imperative. The CCCU believes that all persons are made by our Creator God, are made in His image, and therefore are endowed with dignity (Genesis 1:27). These young people—and those around them—need stability in order to thrive. Mass deportation would unconscionably break up families. We urge you to pass a permanent legislative fix at this crucial time. President Trump himself has called for a ‘bill of love,’ and as 1 John 3:18 says, ‘Let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.’”^7

  • Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration including over two hundred presidents of colleges and universities: ”As leaders of institutions that play a vital role in unleashing human potential, strengthening and enriching local communities, and securing our nation’s well-being and prosperity, we take seriously our responsibility to address public policy issues that are inconsistent with our purposes and values as educational institutions, our commitment to our students, and our nation’s heritage as a land of opportunity for those who come to this country in search of a better life for themselves and their children.”^8

Faith Community

  • Executive Committee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops: “In light of many years of failure by Congress, whether controlled by Republicans or Democrats, to address the situation, the Committee urges the Catholic faithful and all people of good will to contact their representatives in Congress to urge the passage of the DREAM Act or similar legislation as a prompt, humane, and durable solution to this problem of greatest urgency.”^9

  • Dr. Russell Moore, President, Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention: “Dreamers have been working as productive members of our communities and sitting in the pews next to us in our churches. They are parts of families, including many who are parents of U.S. citizen children. Dreamers have come forward at the invitation and request of the federal government — and now the government has changed the rules. So the Congress has a responsibility to act, and to do so quickly. Justice delayed is justice denied.”^10

Related Updates