For immediate release
Contact Dave Perera
dave.perera@mail.house.gov
202-770-7899
Rep. Barragán co-sponsors American Hope Act
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-San Pedro) has co-sponsored legislation that would resolve the immigration status of 800,000 young Americans enrolled in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
The American Hope Act of 2017 offers a pathway to citizenship to DREAMers—the young people who are studying, working and contributing to our society and who have greatly benefited from DACA.
“In my district, there’s a young woman named Diana Medel who has been able to attend college and become a passionate community leader because of DACA.
Separating her from her life in Wilmington by deporting her to Mexico, a country she hasn’t lived in since age seven, would be an act of extraordinary cruelty. She and the hundreds of thousands of people like her are why my colleagues and I are fighting hard to protect DACA.
Earlier this month I urged then-Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly to stand with me and members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus in supporting a DREAMer law.
Mr. Kelly said he supports the DACA program. He has stood by Speaker Ryan’s side to publicly support anti-immigration legislation. Especially now that he’s at the White House, he should come back to Capitol Hill to take a stand with us to say that people like Diana Medel are Americans, and that they’re here to stay.”
###
Nanette Diaz Barragán is proud to represent California’s 44th Congressional District, which includes the communities of Carson, Compton, Lynwood, North Long Beach, Rancho Dominguez, San Pedro, South Gate, Walnut Park, Watts, Willowbrook and Wilmington