Bonamici Praises Passage of Legislation to Provide Pathway to Citizenship for Dreamers

WASHINGTON, DC [6/4/19] – Today Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) celebrated the House's passage of the American Dream and Promise Act, which would provide permanent protections to Dreamers and other immigrants.

H.R. 6 creates a pathway to permanent residency for up to 2.5 million immigrants who have long lived in the U.S. under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Temporary Protected Status (TPS), or Deferred Enforcement Department (DED).

Bonamici spoke in support of H.R. 6 on the House floor and shared the stories of two constituents. A video of her remarks can be found here. Her full remarks can be found below.

"Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the American Dream and Promise Act to stand with the thousands of Dreamers across the country and in Oregon. Dreamers like Gustavo and Brenda, who are living in and serving in our communities.

Gustavo graduated from Forest Grove High School. He knew he was ineligible for federal student aid, yet he found a way to go to college because he knows that that education cannot be taken away from him. Gustavo wrote, ‘I have found my calling in the nonprofit work I do. I'm here to give back to the Latino community that believed in me and helped me achieve my dream.'

Brenda is an educator in Hillsboro, Oregon. Last summer her students asked her, ‘are you coming back next year?' And despite uncertainty about her status, Brenda will watch her students graduate this Saturday, and she hopes to continue supporting kids and families in the very same school district from which she graduated.

It's long past time for Dreamers like Brenda and Gustavo, Americans in every way except on paper, to live ‘out of the shadows.' I urge my colleagues to support this legislation."

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