[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 103 (Tuesday, June 18, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4120-S4121]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              IMMIGRATION

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, now on immigration, 12 years ago this 
week, President Obama announced the creation of DACA, one of the most 
important programs in our country's history on immigration. It changed 
the lives of hundreds of thousands of young people for the better, 
people who came to this country when they were very little and who, for 
all intents and purposes, knew America as their only home.
  Today, President Biden is announcing the most significant relief 
program for immigrants since DACA, expanding protection for hundreds of 
thousands of undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens. They are not 
documented, but they are married to a U.S. citizen.
  I applaud President Biden for today's truly significant announcement. 
It is going to help keep hundreds of thousands of families together. 
That is what it does: bring families together, keep them together. And 
it will provide peace of mind and dignity and, most of all, opportunity 
to contribute so that these people can contribute to this country even 
more.
  The announcement will help make our economy stronger, as these 
spouses will be eligible for work permits at a time when there is a 
shortage of workers in so many different professions and give them a 
long-term path to stability.
  The announcement is an affirmation of what America is truly about at 
its core: a land built by immigrants; a land of opportunity for people 
who want to contribute to this country, who know that our way of life 
is the best way if you work hard to get ahead and provide a better life 
for your children. The vast majority of those who will benefit from 
today's announcement have been in this country for decades--an average 
of 23 years they have been here--but in a state of limbo, according to 
the White House. To them, America is home. America is where they have 
built families. America is where they gained skills, worked hard, 
contributed to our economy, earned a living, and had children who will 
often go on and do better things than they.
  That is the American dream. That is the American story. And that has 
been

[[Page S4121]]

true for generation after generation, until a MAGA group of Republicans 
decided that they were anti-immigrant.
  Let's not forget, President Reagan, President H. W. Bush, and 
President George W. Bush were all pro-immigration until this 180-degree 
reversal by the Republican Party to be anti-immigrant, which hurts 
America.
  Of course, we need to secure our borders--of course. No one denies 
that. But to just bash immigrants is bad for America, bad for America.
  Fighting for Dreamers and pushing for comprehensive immigration 
reform is one of the issues that has burned strongest inside me since I 
joined the Senate. I was proud of leading the Gang of 8--bipartisan--
with John McCain over 10 years ago to pass comprehensive immigration 
reform, which passed the House with strong bipartisan support. I think 
it got 68 or 69 votes before House Republicans killed the bill--House 
Republicans poisoned by the thinking of the MAGA Republicans in their 
midst.
  I celebrate today's announcement. But Congress must do its part. 
Republicans must stop getting in the way of meaningful, comprehensive 
immigration reform and getting in the way of border security. They 
wouldn't even support our tough border bill, put together with 
bipartisan efforts.
  We are going to keep working until we get the job done, both in 
securing the border and in making America welcome to many immigrants 
who will work hard and become American citizens eventually.
  I yield the floor.

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