The Continuing Resolution (CR) that Congress passed today is a deep and painful disappointment. It once again fails to guarantee protections for DREAMers -- young people who were brought to the United States as children and must be allowed to live, learn, work and contribute to our communities and our economy. It is truly appalling that DREAMERers must now continue living in fear of being separated from their families and sent away from the only homes they’ve ever known. We need real solutions, not more empty promises from dysfunctional, xenophobic lawmakers.
 
While we’re relieved that the CR continues funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) -- which provides health care for 9 million vulnerable children -- for six years, we’re horrified that children’s health was used as a political football in this recent process. CHIP historically has bipartisan support, so the funding should have been secured long ago, not 114 days after the program ran out of money. The GOP using CHIP as a political bargaining tool was reprehensible. Children’s health care coverage should never be part of a partisan fight.
 
The Trump administration and Republican leaders in Congress have chosen to scapegoat immigrant communities rather than recognize that our diversity is what makes our country strong and prosperous, not the opposite. We expect better from our leaders and our children certainly deserve more. DREAMers have waited long enough for the stability and security they deserve.

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