No Compromise on DREAM Act Negotiations
Yesterday, the White House and Congressional leaders discussed potential bargaining chips for a deal to protect 800,000 DREAMers from deportation. Family-based immigration, diversity visas, and refugee admissions are all potentially on the chopping block. Taken together, these proposals would ultimately cut immigration into the U.S. by over 50%.
“The White House proposal to slash family-based immigration would cripple the ability for many Vietnamese American families to reunite with their loved ones,” said Quyen Dinh, executive director of SEARAC. “The proposal punishes hard-working families and communities. We will not allow lawmakers to hold the DREAM Act hostage in their racist attempt to grind our immigration system to a halt. We demand a CLEAN DREAM act NOW.”
TAKE ACTION TODAY
1. Call your member of Congress at 202-224-3121.
Script: My name is _________ and I’m a constituent of ____________. I want Congress to pass a clean DREAM Act now. Will you commit to voting against any spending bills unless there is a solution for DACA recipients? I’m also calling in support of our family-based immigration system and the diversity visa program. I oppose lowering the number of immigrants welcomed into the country and cuts to any of the family-based visas or the diversity visa program, and ask for you to defend these programs. Will your boss commit to defending our family-based visas and diversity visa immigration system?
2. We are collecting stories of individuals who have benefited from family-based visa sponsorship. If you or someone you know would like to share your story, please email
alex@searac.org. As the fight to defend family immigration heats up, we want to highlight what is at stake for the Southeast Asian American community.