Congressman Cleaver Calls for Senate to Take Up Legislation Protecting Dreamers

(Washington, D.C.) – Following the Supreme Court's landmark decision rejecting the Trump Administration's illegal effort to repeal the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) is again calling for passage of legislation that would protect DACA recipients from deportation. In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Rep. Cleaver, along with over 100 other House lawmakers, is urging the Senate Majority Leader to schedule a vote on H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act, which passed the House of Representatives more than a year ago and would give Dreamers a path to citizenship.

"With Republicans in the majority, the United States Senate has failed to challenge the most anti-immigrant President in modern history. It is not too late to change course," the Members wrote. "As Majority Leader you can immediately schedule a vote in the Senate for the American Dream and Promise Act. It would be an American tragedy to deport DACA recipients who are saving lives in the midst of this pandemic."

"The time has come for the U.S. Congress to bring certainty to the nearly 700,000 Dreamers whose lives have been in limbo since this Administration attempted to illegally rescind the DACA program," said Congressman Cleaver. "These are people who have been on the front lines of the coronavirus crisis; who have grown up in this great nation; and who are American in every single way except for on paper. The Senate must end their obstruction of the Dream and Promise Act and allow Dreamers the path to citizenship that they justly deserve."

"While DACA is just one part of our nation's broken immigration system, the bipartisan support it commands make it a great first step toward comprehensive immigration reform that has eluded Congress for years," Congressman Cleaver continued. "It is long overdue that both parties sit down and find a bipartisan compromise that puts people first and addresses our country's immigration woes because the current system is not working for the economy, for businesses, or for workers and families that want to be a part of the American dream."

You can find the official letter to Senator McConnell with a list of co-signers here.

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.