[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 207 (Tuesday, December 19, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8087-S8088]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                  DACA

  Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I am rising today to join my voice with 
so many others to support young people whom we call Dreamers. These 
young people were brought to the United States as children, sometimes 
as babies. For many of them, this country is the only home they have 
ever known. I should say up front that we need comprehensive 
immigration reform for our security and our economy.
  Our Nation's immigration system is broken, and it hurts families, 
workers, businesses, and farmers each and every day. But targeting 
these young people who have come to our country through their parents--
their parents bringing them as children--does nothing to solve the 
larger issues that we need to address in the Senate and in the House.
  To remind everyone, to be eligible for the Deferred Action for 
Childhood Arrivals Program, which we call DACA, young people have to 
have entered the United States before their 16th birthday. They must be 
attending school, have graduated or earned their GED, or have been 
honorably discharged from the U.S. military, and they must not have 
been in trouble with the law. Those are pretty good principles for all 
of us--following the law and working hard. When anyone does that, they 
should know that our country has their back.
  Those who were approved for DACA were given a legal status to remain 
here and a work permit so that they could work and contribute to our 
country. We made these young people a promise, and we need to keep it. 
I feel very strongly that whether it is our veterans, our people in the 
military going to war who are protecting us every day, who are serving 
our country--we made them a promise that they would have healthcare, 
among other promises, to make sure that veterans are not at the back of 
any line.
  When someone works all their life--they work 30 years, they pay into 
a pension, and they assume that pension is going to be there--that is 
another kind of promise. This is also a promise that was made to young 
people. If they worked hard and followed the rules and stayed out of 
trouble and contributed to our country, either serving in the military 
or going to school and working, they would have the right to be here 
and be able to contribute to our country.
  Nationwide, we know there are about 800,000 young people who are 
covered by DACA. In Michigan alone, we have over 10,000 young people--
10,000 young Dreamers--working hard and going to school, contributing 
to our economy and our quality of life in Michigan. Many of them have 
DACA status.
  Those are some of the numbers; however, we are not talking about 
numbers here. We are talking about people's lives. We are talking about 
10,000 young people in Michigan who are attending colleges, starting 
businesses, creating jobs, buying homes, serving in the military, and 
raising American children of their own. They are proud to be here. 
These young people aren't numbers; they are our neighbors.
  In Michigan, we care about our neighbors. One of these young people 
is named Nara. She shared her story with me, both last week and again 
today. I am so pleased that she and other wonderful young people are in 
town today to share their stories.
  Nara was born in Poland. Her parents faced intense discrimination 
because of their different backgrounds; one was from Poland and the 
other was from Mongolia. In 2000, when Nara was only 4 years old, she 
and her mom were granted a visa to come to the United States.
  Nara excelled in school. She graduated from high school with honors 
and attended the University of Detroit Mercy. She also found ways to 
give back, leading service trips around the country and volunteering 
for organizations, including the Humanitarian Alliance of Michigan, 
World Medical Relief, and Children's Hospital of Michigan. Earlier this 
year, Nara graduated with a bachelor's degree in biology and a minor in 
leadership. She was awarded one of Detroit Mercy's highest honors, 
presented to the undergraduate student who best exemplifies the mission 
of the university--leadership and service.
  Another one of our wonderful young people is Juan. He was brought to 
the United States by his parents when he was a 1-year-old. He was just 
a baby. He has known no other country. When Juan was in high school, he 
tried to enlist in the Marines to serve his country. He longed to serve 
the country that had given him so many opportunities. His plans 
changed, however, when a recruiter told him that he would likely be 
deported after he had served his country. Instead, Juan got a job, 
hoping to save up money for college. The DACA Program allowed him to 
get a job permit and a better job. Today he is a prelaw student at 
Wayne State University. He hopes to one day become an immigration 
lawyer.
  Juan said this:

       I believe in America. . . . I was raised here. I love this 
     country. . . . This is my home.

  Nara, Juan, and so many other young people are great examples of why 
we need to pass the Dream Act. We need to extend DACA as soon as 
possible. I would love to see it happen right now, today. Young people 
are waiting, have been waiting, and are in horrible situations because 
they don't know what is going to happen. These young people have done 
everything right, and they don't know whether they are going to be 
ripped away from their family and sent to a country they may never have 
been in. They want to be here, contributing to America. They want to 
earn their degrees, start businesses, raise families, and give back to 
their communities.
  We need comprehensive immigration reform. That is for sure. But 
first, we need to pass the bipartisan Dream Act

[[Page S8088]]

as quickly as possible. These young Dreamers have done nothing wrong. 
They have done everything right. They have done everything they have 
been asked to do. It is time to make sure our country stands up and 
keeps its promises to them. That is what our neighbors would do.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Hoeven). Is there objection?
  Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The majority leader.

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