Issued March 13, 2019
WASHINGTON, DC - SEIU International President Mary Kay Henry issued the following statement on the introduction of the Dream and Promise Act of 2019:
“America should be a country where all working people--no matter where we are from or what we look like--can live in dignity, raise our kids to do better than we did and not have to work for poverty wages until the day we die. Congress needs to pass the Dream and Promise Act of 2019 to fulfill that vision of our nation, the one that leads so many people to come here in search of safety and a better life. This legislation would enable people who came here as children, or who have lived here legally for years to work and attend school without fear of being ripped apart from their families, communities, classmates, or workplaces. It will result in higher wages, better working conditions and stronger communities for everyone.
“Opposition to this bill is rooted in a divide and conquer strategy to keep working people from coming together. We are linking arms to demand economic stability and security for our families. Almost every American is either the neighbor, friend, family member, or coworker of an immigrant, or an immigrant themselves, and we all deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. We need this legislation to keep families together so that children like the twin sons of Maria, a Dreamer from Mexico, can go to school without fearing that their parents will be deported while they’re gone. Moms and dads like Julio, a TPS holder from El Salvador, should be able to plan for their children’s future and invest in their communities, instead of living in limbo fearful that they might lose everything they’ve worked so hard for.
“SEIU members will continue to use our collective power that comes from joining together in a union to fight back against extremists who are willing to hurt our economy and upend the lives of young people and parents who have lived here for years due to problems in their home countries.”
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