[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 8 (Thursday, January 12, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S298-S299]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          DACA AND BRIDGE ACT

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, in 8 days, just a short distance from this 
Senate Chamber, Donald Trump will be sworn in as the 45th President of 
the United States. On that date, January 20, 2017, the fate of more 
than 750,000 young American immigrants will hang in the balance. They 
will be waiting to learn if they have a place in America's future or 
whether they will lose their legal status to stay in the United States. 
For many of them, it is a period of the highest anxiety, wondering what 
is going to happen next.
  It was 7 years ago that I sent a letter to President Obama. I had 
introduced the DREAM Act, which said that if you were brought to 
America as a child, an infant, or an adolescent, lived here all your 
life, went to school and did well, and had no criminal record of any 
consequences, we would give you a chance to stay. Over a period of 
time, you would be able to become legal in America--a citizen in 
America. Sixteen years ago, I introduced it, and we passed it once in 
the Senate, once in the House, and never, ever made it the law of the 
land.
  I wrote to President Obama, with Senator Dick Lugar, Republican of 
Indiana, and said: Find some way, if you can, as President, to protect 
these young DREAMers, as we call them. And he did. It is called DACA, 
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.
  What it basically said is that if you qualify under the DREAM Act, 
you could pay a filing fee of almost $500, go through a criminal 
background check and interview, and, then, if you qualify, you will be 
given a 2-year temporary protection from deportation and the ability to 
work. So far, over 750,000 young people have come forward. They have 
made such a difference in their own lives, in the lives of their 
families, and even in our country.
  I have come over 100 times to tell their stories, and I will tell 
another one today. But I want to also announce that today we have a 
significant bipartisan breakthrough for this Congress: Republican 
Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and I have introduced the 
BRIDGE Act. The BRIDGE Act, which has bipartisan sponsorship, would say 
that even if we eliminated President Obama's Executive order, we would 
protect these young people from deportation and allow them to continue 
to work and study.
  I want to thank Senator Graham. He has been a terrific partner.
  This is an issue which weighs heavily on my mind and conscience. We 
believe this is a reasonable way to extend this protection and to say 
to Congress in the meantime: Get to work. Roll up your sleeves. Pass a 
comprehensive immigration bill. Work with the new President, work with 
both sides, Democrats and Republicans, and come up with an approach.
  I thank Senator Graham for joining me in the introduction of this 
BRIDGE Act.
  For the young people across America, I can tell you, I understand 
your fears. I understand your anxiety. There are many of us who are 
dedicated to making certain that this ends well for you and for your 
family.
  There are pretty amazing young people who are in that category I have 
addressed. One of them is Jose Espinoza. At the age of 2, Jose Espinoza 
was brought here from Mexico. He grew up in the northwest suburbs of 
Chicago and became an excellent student. In high school, he was a 
member of the National Honor Society, and he graduated in the top 3 
percent of his class. He was elected to the student council every year 
in high school, the treasurer, vice president, editor of the high 
school yearbook, mentored and taught physical education to a freshman 
class of 40 students. He was also captain of the varsity track and 
field team and a member of the soccer team and the school orchestra.
  In his spare time, if there was any, Jose volunteered with the United 
Way, and as a result of his academic record and volunteer service, he 
received a college scholarship from the United Way.
  Incidentally, DREAMers--undocumented--don't qualify for any Federal

[[Page S299]]

assistance for their education, so they have to find it in other 
places. His work with the United Way helped to pay his way at the 
college. He went to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and 
received multiple academic awards and continued his volunteer service 
with Alpha Phi Omega, a national service fraternity. He received the 
Distinguished Service Key, the fraternity's highest award. He graduated 
with a bachelor of science in kinesiology and then went on to earn a 
master's degree in public health at the University of Illinois.
  In his last semester of graduate school, President Obama announced 
the DACA Program, which I described earlier. He applied, signed up, and 
became part of that DACA Program.
  What is he doing today with his master's degree, with his opportunity 
to work in fields of public health and such? He signed up for Teach For 
America. We know Teach For America is a national nonprofit organization 
that places talented recent college graduates in urban and rural 
schools that have a shortage of teachers. Jose is currently a high 
school physics and public health teacher in the city of Chicago.
  He wrote me a letter, and he said:

       DACA changed my life in more ways than I can ever explain. 
     It has given me the power to help others, the freedom to 
     travel, and the right to legally work without fear of 
     deportation. Simply put, without DACA, I wouldn't exist for 
     my students and my community.

  If DACA is eliminated, what will happen to Jose? The day after DACA, 
he won't be able to teach. He could be deported back to Mexico, where 
he hasn't lived since he was a 2-year-old toddler. That would be a 
tragedy, not just for Jose and his family but for this Nation. This is 
a fine young man who, against great odds, undocumented, has written 
this amazing record in his young life. He is a giving person. He could 
be making a lot more money than his pay with Teach For America in an 
inner city school.
  Do we need Jose Espinoza in America's future? I think we do. That is 
why I am happy that this BRIDGE Act would give him a chance and 
Congress a chance to address this issue of DREAMers. I hope President-
Elect Trump will understand this and continue the DACA Program. If he 
decides to end the DACA Program, I hope his administration will work 
closely and rapidly with Congress to pass the BRIDGE Act into law.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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