It’s been a month since 800,000 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals beneficiaries—“Dreamers”—had the rug pulled out from under them. Despite bipartisan consensus, those in control of Congress continue to hold Dreamers hostage to a set of mean-spirited immigration principles that separate families, gut due process for asylum seekers, roll back protections for unaccompanied children, and prioritize spending billions of dollars to build a Mexican border wall. Congress needs to stop playing politics with the lives of immigrant youth and vote on a Dream Act without any ifs, ands, or buts.
Many AFT members also happen to be Dreamers. In fact, 20,000 DACA beneficiaries are working as bilingual educators and school support staff in our schools, not to mention the 100,000 undocumented students who graduate from high school every year. This fight is our fight. Our AFT sisters and brothers, and the students we serve, need us to stand up for them right now.