Lindsey Graham Dick Durbin DACA DREAM Act Press Conference 9517

Hours after the Trump administration announced it was rescinding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals DACA Sen Dick Durbin D-IL and Sen Lindsey Graham R-SC held a press conference to discuss the DREAM Act The bipartisan legislation would allow undocumented immgrants brought to the United States as children to earn lawful permanent residence and eventually American citizenship During the presser Graham directly addressed the DREAMers praising them for what they’ve given to the country they call home while letting them know they’ve done nothing to deserve fear of deportation “You’ve done nothing wrong” the South Carolina Republican stated “You came here as children You’ve contributed to society” He continued “You’ve passed criminal background checks You’ve demonstrated your ability to be beneficial to the country now and in the future The only thinkg that stands between you and certainty in your life is Congress That cannot be that reassuring” Yesterday Graham released a statement saying he’d support the end of DACA with a six-month delay to allow for Congress to find a legislative solution noting that he had introuduced legislation along with Durbin to fix the problemSens Dick Durbin D-Ill and Lindsey Graham R-SC are urging Congress to act before the end of September on legislation that would create protections for young undocumented immigrants
The call to action came after the Trump administration announced Tuesday that it would end the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals DACA program that shields immigrants brought to the country illegally as children from deportation

Graham and Durbin who both sit on the Senate Judiciary Committee said it is imperative that lawmakers act swiftly to pass the DREAM Act a measure they have introduced that would offer legal status to individuals who received protections under DACA

Both lawmakers are part of the Gang of Eight — the group of senators who authored a 2013 bipartisan immigration reform bill That measure passed in the Senate but ultimately died in the House

Graham said Tuesday that Trumps decision to end DACA with a six-month delay gives lawmakers a deadline to take action which could help propel legislation through Congress

The reason I think it will get done now is that the leadership of the Republican Party including the president realizes its good for the country economically and otherwise to give these kids the certainty they need in their lives he said at a news conference alongside Durbin

Durbin cast the Trump administrations announcement on DACA as the beginning of a countdown toward deportation for 780000 people protected under the program

Well today that was handed down first by Attorney General Sessions and then by the president tells us that the clock is ticking he said We are now in a countdown toward deportation for 780000 protected by DACA today

We need to pass in this month of SEptember a DREAM Act — a permanent law in this country that says that these young people will have their chance to become part of Americas future

The push for action however comes at a busy time for lawmakers who in the coming weeks must pass a stopgap spending measure to keep the government running decide whether to raise the countrys debt ceiling and vote on disaster relief funding for the victims of Hurricane Harvey

Were going to do two things Were going to take care of the hurricane victims in Texas and were going to take care of those kids Graham said Tuesday Lindsey Graham Dick hold a press conference on Durbin DACA DREAM Act