The Dream Act: It’s a moral matter of justice

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. – Hebrews 13:2

Political gamesmanship in Washington is thrusting millions of peoples’ lives into uncertainty.  DREAMers—and their families, neighbors, faith leaders and communities–are waiting and pleading every day for Congress to respond to the glaring injustice in our immigration policies. Last week, a political showdown ended with Congress voting to fund more deportations, without offering any reassurance to these young immigrants caught in limbo with the rescission of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. In the next two weeks, our lawmakers will make choices with long-lasting consequences, both fiscal and moral.

{mosads}As a Quaker, I believe that there is that of God in every person and that every one of us deserves the opportunity to pursue our dreams. Yet as a nation we are a long way from this faithful call, as the recent release of governmental immigration enforcement data reminds us. Millions of people live in the shadows, fearing imminent separation from their families, prolonged detention, or return to life-threatening situations. Why? Because Congress has so far refused to overhaul the U.S. immigration system. The Trump administration hasn’t helped matters, merely doubling down on old approaches. Yet only through legislation can we solve our nation’s immigration problems and remedy the system’s injustices. This is why Quakers have asked the Friends Committee on National Legislation to promote and respect the rights, safety, and dignity of all immigrants, refugees, and migrants in our daily work.

Members of Congress have a choice to make in the coming days. Will they funnel more billions of dollars into the machinery of unjust deportation, as requested by President Trump? Will they act to make an already broken, punitive immigration system even worse? Will they give congressional blessing to the human rights abuses that happen in the name of enforcing our nation’s borders? Or, will they use their power to stop these injustices and live up to the values our nation professes to hold? 

Enough is enough. This gamesmanship with peoples’ lives has to stop. Congress needs to use its ‘power of the purse’ to limit the harm inflicted on immigrant communities, and pursue the long overdue legislative reforms that our shared communities need. Congress can start by passing the Dream Act. Millions of people across the country support the Dream Act; we are proud to stand with impacted immigrants, people of faith, businesses, and communities across the nation in calling on Congress to act this month.

The Dream Act provides a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children and grew up in our country. It is the only bipartisan and bicameral piece of legislation that would permanently protect these young people, who are fully integrated into our communities. If Congress fails to act before the new year, their inaction will speak loudly as our tax dollars go to deporting these young adults, many of whom have no memory of another home.

My Quaker faith calls me to speak truth for a prophetic vision of justice, grounded in love. Out of that vision, I believe that our country can and must advance legislation that protects Dreamers without furthering unjust deportation and detention, or damaging border communities. I urge Congress to reverse the trend, reject spending billions more on endless immigration enforcement and instead act on the faithful call to love our neighbors, without exception. I urge Congress to enact the Dream Act by years’ end.

Randall is the executive secretary of the Friends Committee on National Legislation, the oldest registered religious lobby in Washington. FCNL works with a nationwide network of tens of thousands of people of many different faiths from every state in the U.S. to advocate for social and economic justice, peace, and good government.