Here’s What You Can do to Support DACA
The Mercury News
We've got names, numbers, addresses, and email for you to contact your legislators.
Eight-hundred-thousand DREAMers are in a free fall, for the moment.
As of today, the US Congress has 6 months to legislate a fix for their situation – just as it did in 2001 and 2010 when the DREAM Act was defeated. Attorney General Jeff Beauregard Sessions III made the announcement in his boss’s stead (President Trump may have been otherwise occupied or didn’t have the will to make the announcement himself).
The gamble is that Congress will act, but DREAMers are sixth on their list after Tax Reform, the Debt Ceiling, the Budget, Healthcare and Harvey Relief. Add the holiday break to the mix as well as the incapacity to legislate anything meaningful and the window of opportunity becomes slim, at best.
Still, there is expressed goodwill to work in favor of the DREAMNers. Both House and Senate leaders say they’re on board to make a 2017-2018 DREAM Act possible. But for the record, these are the Senators still in office who voted against the DREAM Act in 2010.
- Lamar Alexander R Tenn.
- John Barrasso R Wyo.
- Richard M. Burr R N.C.
- Thad Cochran R Miss.
- Susan Collins R Maine
- Bob Corker R Tenn.
- John Cornyn R Texas
- Michael D. Crapo R Idaho
- Michael B. Enzi R Wyo.
- Lindsey Graham R S.C.
- Charles E. Grassley R Iowa
- James M. Inhofe R Okla.
- Johnny Isakson R Ga.
- John McCain R Arizona
- Mitch McConnell R Kentucky
- Jim Risch R Idaho
- Pat Roberts R Kan.
- Richard C. Shelby R Ala.
- Jon Tester D Mont.
- John Thune R S.D.
- Roger Wicker R Miss.
Here’s what you can do.
Click on The Grito on the right of your screen to get the contact information for every member of congress. Call them, write to them, email them, numerous times, relentlessly. You can make your voice heard.
And here’s what you can tell them: It’s data to back your argument:
800,000 – The number of undocumented immigrants brought to the US as children by their parents and who are protected from deportation under DACA.
1.9 million – The number of immigrants eligible for DACA
223,000 – The number of DREAMers in California
121,000 – The number of DREAMers in Texas
42,000 – The number of DREAMers in Illinois
42,000 – The number of DREAMers in New York
33,000 – The number of DREAMers in Florida
28,000 – The number of DREAMers in Arizona
27,000 – The number of DREAMers in North Carolina
24,000 – The number of DREAMers in Georgia
22,000 – The number of DREAMers in New Jersey
95 – The percentage of DREAMers who are currently working or in school
63 – The percentage of DREAMers who got a better paying job after DACA
42 – The percentage increase in hourly wages for DREAMers after DACA
48 – The percentage of DREAMers who got a job with better working conditions
54 – The percentage of DREAMers who bought their first car
12 – The percentage of DREAMers who bought their first home
72 – The percentage of DREAMers who are enrolled in higher education
80 – The percentage of DREAMers who got drivers licenses
50 – The percentage of DREAMers who became organ donors
21 – The percentage of DREAMers who work in education and health services
30,000 – The number of DREAMers who would lose their work permits each month as their DACA status expires
433 billion – The amount of losses, in dollars, to the US GDP over 10 years caused by the loss of DACA workers
1,800 – The number of governors, attorneys general, mayors, state representatives, judges, police chiefs and other leaders signed onto a letter supporting Dreamers and DACA recipients.
