Press Release

AFT President Randi Weingarten on the Dream and Promise Act of 2019

For Release:

Contact:

Oriana Korin
202-374-6103
okorin@aft.org

WASHINGTON—AFT President Randi Weingarten issued the following statement today in support of the Dream and Promise Act of 2019 (H.R. 6):

“ ‘Dreamers’ are educators, nurses, university professors and students, and they help bring our classrooms and our communities to life. This vital bill provides permanent safety for them and for those with temporary protected status or deferred enforced departure status. These are lifelines for hardworking immigrants who strengthen our economy and proudly call the United States their home. 

“President Trump has built his entire immigration policy on fear and division. It is cruel that he insists on using Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients and their status in this country as pawns to build support for his senseless wall. That’s why most Americans don’t support it. 

“Thankfully, Congress has stepped in to protect Dreamers from being pawns in the Trump administration’s ongoing political war. With this bill, we help tell our immigrant brothers and sisters: You are no longer invisible, and you are safe here.”

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The AFT represents 1.7 million pre-K through 12th-grade teachers; paraprofessionals and other school-related personnel; higher education faculty and professional staff; federal, state and local government employees; nurses and healthcare workers; and early childhood educators.