U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said on Monday there’s hope that Congress will pass legislation protecting so-called Dreamers before the holidays.
Speaking at the state legislative office building in Hartford, Blumenthal says there’s bipartisan support in Congress for the Dream Act, the bill that would provide permanent status and a pathway to citizenship for recipients of DACA, the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
“I think a majority of the Senate, whom I know well, I’ve talked to a lot of them, and majority of the House of Representatives, if they are given a chance to vote they will vote for a Dream Act.”
Blumenthal says he supports the Dream Act whether it’s a standalone legislation or attached to any of the must-pass bills that Congress has to take action on before adjourning for the holidays on December 22.
“We are going to fight for them in this next two weeks. And a lot is happening. We have a tax bill. We have other end0of-year measures that have to be passed – children’s health insurance, community health centers, other steps of continuing resolutions and budget – so there is a lot to do and this is one of my priorities.”
Blumenthal was joined by some local Connecticut DACA recipients who are anxious that deportations would start if the legislation is not passed by the end of the year. There are 8,000 Dreamers in Connecticut, and 700,000 across the country.
