Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, during a cold and rainy December Thursday in Washington, D.C. over 200 immigrant youth and allies from across the country braved the elements to demand Congress pass a pathway to citizenship for millions before the end of the year. The day started with a rally where Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Representative Cori Bush (D-MO), and other directly impacted speakers addressed a pumped up crowd before they marched in the cold.
This all came as reports that negotiations on a bill which would include citizenship for immigrant youth led by Senators Sinema and Tillis fell through. The rally and march were part of a week of action held by United We Dream and the Home is Here coalition, including organizations like CASA, Mi Familia Vota, Make The Road Nevada, Make The Road Pennsylvania and others. Over 200 immigrant youth and allies from places like Alaska, Arizona, California, Michigan, Nevada, New York, Virginia, Washington and more.
You can find photos and videos here. All credit to United We Dream.
Greisa Martinez Rosas, Executive Director of United We Dream, said:
“We have been calling on Congress to leave no stone left unturned to deliver citizenship for millions of people. That continues to be true. All year we have been clear-eyed about the treacherous path forward for the DACA program, which is as close as it’s ever been to being overturned by rogue conservative courts. This week, hundreds of United We Dream members descended on Washington D.C. from Alaska to North Carolina, taking time out of their lives to urge Congress to act. The hundreds of young people who came to D.C. have shown determination and resilience. If Congress leaves for the holidays this year without having delivered, they should know they have cowered and failed to meet this moment with the urgency it requires.
Congress still has time to do the right thing. They need to step up and do whatever it takes to pass protections for immigrant youth before the end of this year. We need leader Schumer to step up and fight like hell to stop McConnell from getting his way. We also need our champions, like Senators Padilla, Lujan, Menendez, and Cortez-Masto to meet this moment with the outrage that it requires. Congress cannot throw their hands up and walk away, we need them to act with urgency, because lives depend on it.”
Additional Background: With the future of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program—which protects nearly 600,000 immigrant youth from the threat of detention and deportation— in the hands of conservative courts, immigrants and allies nationwide are demanding that Democrats wield their trifecta of power while they still can.
