Letter: Let elected officials know you support DREAMers

Since 2012, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program has enabled young people who were brought to the U.S. as children to have protection from deportation and the right to work and enroll in college.

If Congress does not pass legislation by March 5, they could be at great risk of deportation since the DACA application required extensive personal information. They were promised it would never be used to deport them. But when DACA was rescinded, that statement was removed from the government website.

Those working full-time jobs would have to quit or continue working at legal risk to themselves and their employers. Losing jobs eliminates the income to make payments on a car loan, rent, mortgage, school tuition, or to help support their families. Families could be torn apart. Children could lose one or both of their parents.

Rep. Dan Newhouse and Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray all support legislation enabling DACA recipients to be protected and have a path to legal permanent status. But they need to know that their constituents support this. Please contact Dan Newhouse (202-225-5816), Maria Cantwell (202-224-3441), and Patty Murray (202-224-2621) and ask them to actively support the DREAM Act legislation.

This story was originally published November 20, 2017 at 2:05 PM with the headline "Letter: Let elected officials know you support DREAMers."