Civil and Human Rights Coalition Lauds Bipartisan Approach to Provide Legal Status to ‘Dreamers’

WASHINGTON— Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, released the following statement on the introduction of “The Dream Act of 2017” by Senators Lindsey Graham, R. S.C., and Dick Durbin, D. Ill., to provide legal status and a path to citizenship to immigrants commonly referred to as “Dreamers”:

“We applaud Senators Graham and Durbin for taking a bipartisan approach to a very important issue. Dreamers contribute to our economy, strengthen our communities, and even serve in our military. This bill will enable hundreds of thousands of young people who have grown up in America but lack legal status to come out of the shadows and stand with their friends and colleagues. We urge Congress to pass this legislation swiftly to end any uncertainties around our support for immigrant young people and the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. There is a moral, economic, and patriotic imperative to act.”

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its 200-plus member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.