Pascrell Votes in Support of Dreamers

Landmark legislation passed by House would give DACA recipients chance at American Dream

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. lauded today’s passage in the House of H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act of 2019. This legislation would offer a path to permanent legal status for millions of undocumented immigrant youths, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients. The bill would provide protections for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) holders.

“After years of inaction and deliberate cruelty by Donald Trump and congressional Republicans, today the new House voted to remove the systemic cloud of fear and uncertainty lingering over the heads of America’s Dreamers,” said Rep. Pascrell, a cosponsor of the DREAM Act and of its earlier iterations.  “Without action, thousands of bright New Jerseyans remain under threat of being expelled from the only nation they know through no fault of their own. We are committed to keeping the promise made to these young Americans: that they would be protected under the law. For years under Republican leadership, I demanded that the House be allowed to vote on this common-sense legislation. Though its passage comes much later than it should have, I am encouraged by today’s vote. In the spirit of rationality and charity, I now urge my colleagues in the Senate to approve this legislation and safeguard the futures of these individuals who are Americans in every way except on paper.”

In the 115th Congress, Rep. Pascrell was one of Congress’ most prominent voices in demanding that Republican leadership allow a vote on the DREAM Act. In May 2018, Pascrell signed a bipartisan discharge petition to force a vote to protect America’s Dreamers. Two months prior to that, he excoriated continued Republican inaction on the legislation. A fierce opponent of Donald Trump’s inhumane immigration policies, Pascrell made a surprise visit in June 2018 to the ICE Detention Center in Elizabeth, NJ to visit with separated families and observe conditions within the facility.

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