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Congress: Pass the Promise and Dream Act!

Posted on May 21 2019

One day before the House Judiciary Committee markup of legislation containing protections for immigrant youth known as Dreamers and long-time beneficiaries of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED), ILCM joined with 400 national, regional, and local groups in sending a letter urging Congress to pass the legislation. Here is our letter:

May 21, 2019

Dear Speaker Pelosi, Leader McCarthy, Chairman Nadler, and Ranking Member Collins,

We, the undersigned national, state, and local education, civil and human rights, LGBTQ+, labor, national security, faith, grassroots, and immigrants’ rights organizations, write to express our support for the American Dream and Promise Act as it goes before the House Judiciary Committee for markup. The legislation would put immigrant youth known as Dreamers and long-time beneficiaries of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) on a roadmap to citizenship.

Over the past two years, the Trump administration has taken steps to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and strip status from nearly every individual with TPS and all of those with DED. Only a small number of preliminary injunctions prevent these individuals from facing the prospect of detention and deportation. The administration’s actions are inflicting enormous pain and uncertainty on more than a million people—not to mention their families and their communities who face an impending separation crisis.

These individuals live in every state and every congressional district. They are our classmates and our teachers, our coworkers and our employers. They worship with us and help to keep us safe. They contribute to our great nation in myriad ways. The average DACA recipient came to the country at age six, while the average TPS holder has been in the country for 22 years. Between them, they have nearly 500,000 U.S. citizen children, not to mention many hundreds of thousands more U.S. citizen parents, spouses, and siblings, all of whom are suffering already and will suffer still more if the Trump administration is successful in ending their protections.

Dreamers and beneficiaries of TPS and DED also are vital to the economic health of our nation: They work in a range of critical industries, from construction—particularly in states such as Texas, California, Florida, Virginia, and North Carolina that are still recovering from natural disasters—to child care, to health care, to education, and more. Many work for Fortune 500 companies or have started their own businesses, creating jobs and economic opportunities for their fellow Americans. They pay billions of dollars in federal, state, and local taxes each year.

And while court rulings have allowed current DACA beneficiaries, and TPS holders from El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Sudan, the opportunity to maintain protections for now, the Trump administration is fighting back aggressively. These court injunctions also offer no relief to Dreamers who were eligible for DACA, or would have aged into DACA, but were locked out of the program when the Trump administration ended it, or to TPS holders from countries not now covered by the preliminary court orders. Moreover, just 3 days before Liberians with DED who have lived and worked in the United States lawfully since at least 2002—and many for far longer—were going to lose their status and find themselves vulnerable to being ripped from their families and communities, detained and deported, the Trump administration announced a one-year reprieve.

There are many parts of the immigration system that urgently need fixing, but protecting Dreamers and beneficiaries of TPS and DED cannot wait. It is long past time to recognize that these individuals are part of the American family and merit protection from deportation, permanent status, and a path to eventual citizenship. They and their families and communities at long last deserve the peace of mind to be able to plan ahead and make a better life that others take for granted. We stand ready to work with you to quickly pass this common-sense legislation.

Sincerely,

National Groups

Advocates for Youth
African American Ministers In Action
African Communities Together
AIDS United
Alianza Americas
America’s Voice
American Civil Liberties Union
American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)
American Federation of Teachers
American Friends Service Committee
American GI Forum of the US
American Immigration Lawyers Association
American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC)
Anti-Defamation League
Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum
Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF)
Asian Americans Advancing Justice
Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO
Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence
ASISTA
ASPIRA Association
Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents
AsylumConnect
Athlete Ally
Autistic Self Advocacy Network
Bend the Arc: Jewish Action
Bread for the World
California Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CALCASA)
Casa de Esperanza: National Latina Network for Healthy Families and Communities
Center for American Progress
Center for Popular Democracy
Center for Victims of Torture
CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers
Centro de los Derechos del Migrante, Inc.
Christian Community Development Association
Church World Service
Citizens for Criminal JUSTICE
Clearinghouse on Women’s Issues
Coalition on Human Needs
Columban Center for Advocacy and Outreach
Columbia Law School Immigrants’ Rights Clinic Communications Workers of America
Congregation of Our Lady of the Good Shepherd, US Provinces
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute
Council for Global Equality
Council of Administrators of Special Education
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)
Daily Kos
Defending Rights & Dissent
Democrats for Education Reform
Diaspora in Action
Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF)
Disciples Refugee & Immigration Ministries
Earthjustice
EDGE Consulting
Educators for Excellence
Episcopal Diocese of S.E Florida
Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM)
Faith in Public Life
Families Belong Together
Family Action Network Movement (FANM)
Farmworker Justice
Federation des Associations Regionales Haitiennes de la Diaspora (FAREHD)
Federation of Liberia Mandingo Associations in the USA
Feminist Majority Foundation
First Focus
Fondasyon Mapou
FORGE, Inc.
Franciscan Action Network
Freedom for Immigrants
Freedom Forward
Freedom Network USA
Friends Committee on National Legislation
Gender Spectrum
Generation Progress
GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ Equality
GLSEN
Grand Kru County Development Association in the Americas
GreenLatinos
HIAS
Hip Hop Caucus
Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU)
Hispanic Federation
Hispanic National Bar Association
Hispanics in Philanthropy
HOPE Border Institute
Human Rights Campaign
Human Rights Watch
Immigration Hub
In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda
Indivisible
Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti
Interfaith Worker Justice
International Association for College Admission Counseling
International Rescue Committee (IRC)
InterReligious Task Force on Central America and Colombia
Japanese American Citizens League
Jewish Council for Public Affairs
Jobs With Justice
Kids in Need of Defense
KIPP
Labor Council For Latin American Advancement
Latin America Working Group (LAWG)
LatinoJustice PRLDEF
Leadership Conference of Women Religious
League of Women Voters of the United States
Main Street Alliance
MALDEF
MANA, A National Latina Organization
Mennonite Central Committee U.S. Washington Office
Mi Familia Vota
MomsRising
Movement Advancement Project
MoveOn
NAACP
NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.
NARAL Pro-Choice America
National Action Network
National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd
National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF)
National Association for College Admission Counseling
National Association of Hispanic Federal Executives
National Black Justice Coalition
National Center for Lesbian Rights
National Center for Transgender Equality Coalition Against Domestic Violence
National Council of Churches
National Council of Jewish Women
National Domestic Violence Hotline
National Domestic Workers Alliance
National Education Association
National Employment Law Project
National Employment Lawyers Association
National Equality Action Team (NEAT)
National Health Law Program
National Hispanic Medical Association
National Human Services Assembly
National Immigrant Justice Center
National Immigration Law Center
National Institute for Reproductive Health (NIRH)
National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC)
National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health
National Latinx Psychological Association
National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund
National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
National Organization for Women
National Partnership for New Americans
National Partnership for Women & Families
National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA)
National Religious Campaign Against Torture
National Skills Coalition
National Survivor Network
National Women’s Law Center
NETWORK Lobby
NextGen America
NHCSL – The National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators
OutServe-SLDN
Oxfam America
People’s Action Institute
Physicians for Reproductive Health
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
Population Connection Action Fund
Positive Women’s Network USA
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration
Pride at Work
Public Citizen
School Social Work Association of America
SchoolHouse Connection
Service Employees International Union
Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS)
Sierra Club
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas – Institute Justice Team
Sisters of Mercy South Central Community
Sojourners
South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT)
Southern Border Communities Coalition
SparkAction
Stand for Children
Sull and Associates, PLLC
T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights
TASH
Teach Plus
The Education Trust
The Pluralism Project
The Revolutionary Love Project
The United Methodist Church – General Board of Church and Society
Truman National Security Project
UFW Foundation
Ujima, Inc.: The National Center on Violence Against Women in the Black Community
ULAA
UndocuBlack Network
UnidosUS
Union for Reform Judaism
Unión=Fuerza Latinx Institute
Unitarian Universalist Association
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
UNITE HERE
United Farm Workers (UFW)
United Nimba Citizens’ Council (UNICCO)
United States Hispanic Leadership Institute
United We Dream
URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity
Voices for Progress
Voto Latino
Washington DC Area Liberia Mandingo Association
Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA)
We Are All America
Win Without War
Witness to Mass Incarceration
Women for Afghan Women
Working Families United
Year Up
Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights
Young Invincibles
YWCA USA

State and Local Groups

350Seattle
Academy of Medical & Public Health Services
Adhikaar
Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc.
AFSC Colorado
Al Otro Lado
All Saints Church
Alliance for a Better Community
Apostle Immigrant Services, Corporation
Arab American Association of New York
Arizona Center for Empowerment (ACE)
Arizona Dream Act Coalition
Arkansas United
Arsht Cannon Fund
Asian Counseling & Referral Service
Association of Haitian Women (AFAB)
Breakthrough Schools
Cabrini Immigrant Services of NYC, Inc.
CAIR Florida
CARECEN DC
CASA
Casa Latina
Catholic Charities Tompkins/Tioga
Catholic Legal Services, Archdiocese of Miami
Causa Oregon
Center for the Human Rights of Children, Loyola University Chicago School of Law
Central Indiana Jobs With Justice
Children’s Defense Fund-New York
Chinese-American Planning Council
Clergy and laity United for Economic Justice
Cleveland Jobs with Justice
Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA)
Coalition of Refugee Service Agencies
Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition
Columbia Legal Services
CONNECT Safe Families Peaceful Communities
Connecticut Students for a Dream
Conversations with Friends
Culinary Union
DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence
DMV Sanctuary Congregation Network
Dolores Street Community Services
DoTheMostGood Montgomery County, MD
Dreamer Fund
DRUM: Desis Rising Up and Moving
East Texas Justice For Our Neighbors
El Concilio/Hispanic American Council
El Rescate
Emerald Isle Immigration Center Employee Rights Center
End Domestic Abuse WI
Enlace Comunitario
Entre Hermanos
Equality California
Equality North Carolina
Family Rights Network
FL Immigrant Coalition
Florida Coastal School of law Clinical Programs
Friends of Broward Detainees
Friends of Miami-Dade Detainees
Fuerza del Valle
Gainesville Interfaith Alliance for Immigrant Justice
Georgia AFL-CIO
Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials (GALEO)
Georgia Equality
Georgia NAACP
H.O.P.E. Ministries of Georgia, Inc.
Haitian American Democratic Club of Broward County
HAITIAN ARTISTS ASSEMBLY OF MASSACHUSETTS
Haitian Bridge Alliance
Haitian Centers Council, Inc.
Haitian-Americans United, Inc. (H.A.U.)
Hispanic Federation Connecticut State Office
Hispanics In Politics
II Los Angeles
Illinois Accountability Initiative
Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling
Immigrant Allies of Marshalltown
Immigrant Family Services Institute
Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota
Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project
Indivisible Eastside-WA
Indivisible Vashon
Inland Empire Immigrant Youth Collective
Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center
International Institute of Buffalo
Jefferson County Immigrant Rights Advocates
Jews United for Justice
Kansas People’s Action
Kentucky Association for College Admission Counseling
La Union del Pueblo Entero (LUPE)
Legal Aid Justice Center
Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA)
Lorain Ohio Immigrant Rights Association
Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
Los Angeles LGBT Center
Loyola University Chicago Civitas Child Law Center
Maine Community Integration
Maine Equal Justice
Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition
Maine People’s Alliance
Maine Women’s Lobby
Make the Road New Jersey
Make the Road NY
Make the Road PA
MAPS-AMEN (American Muslim Empowerment Network)
Massachusetts Communities Action Network
Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA)
Migrant Center for Human Rights
MinKwon Center for Community Action
Minnesota Association of College Admissions Counselors MACAC
Missouri Association for College Admissions Counseling
Muslim Youth Collective – Indianapolis
Muslim-Jewish Solidarity Committee
National Lawyers Guild – Los Angeles Chapter
Nebraska Appleseed
Nevada Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents
New England Association of College Admissions Counselors
New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice
New Mexico Immigrant Law Center
New York City Anti-Violence Project
New York Immigration Coalition
New York State Association of College Admission Counseling
NM CAFe
NM Dream Team
North County Immigration Task Force
Northwest Immigrant Rights Project
Ohio Association of College Admissions Counseling
Ohio Immigrant Alliance
OneAmerica
OneJustice
Pacific Northwest Association of College Admission Counseling
Partnership for Southern Equity
Pennsylvania Association for College Admission Counseling
Pilipino Workers Center
Pilipino Workers Center of SC
Progress Florida
Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada
Proyecto Juan Diego
Public Counsel
Puget Sound Advocates for Retirement Action (PSARA)
Reformed Church of Highland Park
Rocky Mountain Association for College Admissions Counseling
Sant La Haitian Neighborhood Center
SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center
SEIU 2015
SEIU 32BJ
SEIU Healthcare Minnesota
SEIU Local 1
SEIU Local 99 Education Workers United
SEIU United Service Workers West
Service Employees International Union-Texas
Silver State Equality
Sisters of St. Francis, St. Francis Province
Sisters of Mercy West Midwest Community
Skagit Immigrant Rights Council
SLV Immigrant Resource Center
SOMOS Mayfair
St Joseph Valley Project Jobs with Justice
Sudanese American Community NY
SURJ Montgomery County
Takoma Park Mobilization
Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition
Texas Association for College Admissions Counseling
The Campaign for College Opportunity
The Resurrection Project
Transformations CDC
Tuesdays With Toomey Pittsburgh
Tuesdays with Toomey- Allentown, PA
UAW Local 4121
Unite Oregon
University of Tulsa Legal Clinic
UnLocal, Inc.
Vashon – Maury SURJ ~ Showing Up for Racial Justice
VIDA Legal Assistance, Inc.
Virginia Coalition of Latino Organizations (VACOLAO)
Virginia NOW
Virginia Organizing
Wallingford Indivisible
Western Association for College Admission Counseling
Whitman-Walker Health
Wind of the Spirit
Wisconsin Mandingo Association of Milwaukee (WIMAM)
Worker Justice Center of New York