Faith Organizations Urge Congress to Act on Dream Act Before the End of the Year

November 7, 2017 Dear Members of Congress, We, the undersigned 37 faith-based organizations, write to urge members of Congress to offer Dreamers the same compassion and commitment they have given to this country. It is time for Congress to immediately enact the Dream Act of 2017 (S. 1615/H.R. 3440), which provides a long overdue pathway to citizenship for our beloved immigrant youth. With the cancellation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, almost 700,000 Dreamers are at renewed risk of deportation. We are deeply concerned by recent comments suggesting that protection for DACA recipients can wait until next year. Despite the six-month delay in enforcement, the consequences of terminating the DACA program are immediate, devastating, and profound. Leaving Dreamers in prolonged limbo violates our nation’s values and sends a message of exclusion to immigrant youth. Dreamers cannot wait, our businesses cannot wait, our places of worship cannot wait, and our country cannot wait; Congress must act now. It is a matter of moral urgency that Congress enacts a permanent solution. We implore Congress not to use Dreamers as bargaining chips to further entrench existing injustices in our immigration system. We urge Congress to enact the Dream Act before the end of this year. Sincerely,   African American Ministers in Action Alliance of Baptists Bend the Arc Jewish Action Bread for the World Church World Service Columban Center for Advocacy and Outreach Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, US Provinces Disciples Refugee & Immigration Ministries Office Ecumenical Advocacy Days for Global Peace with Justice Esperanza Faith in Public Life Franciscan Action Network Friends Committee on National Legislation Interfaith Worker Justice Leadership Conference of Women Religious Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns Missionary Oblates Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Office National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd National Council of Churches National Council of Jewish Women National Justice for Our Neighbors National Latino Evangelical Coalition NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice Office of Social Justice, Christian Reformed Church in North America Pax Christi USA Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) Sisters of Mercy of the Americas Sojourners The United Methodist Church – General Board of Church and Society T’ruah:The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights Union for Reformed Judaism United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministries Unitarian Universalist Association Unitarian Universalist Refugee & Immigration Services & Education Unitarian Universalist Service Committee Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice]]>