U.S. Senate Committee on Judiciary

06/15/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/15/2021 12:57

Feinstein Speaks in Support of Dream Act

Washington-Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today gave remarks at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the American Dream and Promise Act, a bill that would allow young immigrants known as 'Dreamers' to earn lawful permanent residence and American citizenship. The bill also includes protections and a pathway to citizenship for recipients of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED).

Full text of the remarks follows and video is available here.

'Thank you very much Mr. Chairman. I want to begin by thanking you for really your tireless efforts over two decades to pass the Dream Act.

I also want to say that I really believe now this bill will pass. I think people are beginning to realize certain facts. This bill can secure a better future for millions of people who live in a lot of uncertainty about their place in our country, really through no fault of their own.

Let me just put a few things - facts - in the record. According to the Migration Policy Institute, there are nearly 198,000 DACA recipients in California. That's more than any other state. They pay $2 billion in federal taxes and nearly $1 billion in state and local taxes every year. Nationwide, 80 percent of them are working or in school. And in California, 8,600 are medical workers who have been on the frontline of the pandemic.

Like Dreamers, TPS recipients have established deep roots through many American communities. On average, TPS [recipients] have lived in the United States for nearly 20 years. In California alone, Mr. Chairman, they contribute $446.6 million in federal taxes and $237 million in state and local taxes.

These are our colleagues, our neighbors, our friends. And they should not have to live in fear that they could be deported if a future administration ends TPS or a court strikes down DACA.

So I'm very proud to be one of your cosponsors, and I want to thank you for 20 years of service in bringing this legislation, I hope, finally to passage.'

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