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Statement

MomsRising Leader: SUCCEED Act the Wrong Choice for the Nation

October 3, 2017
Immigration

Lisa Lederer, 202-371-1996

Statement from Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, executive director and CEO of MomsRising, a national online and on-the-ground organization of more than 1 million mothers and their families, on the introduction of the SUCCEED Act by U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah)
“President Trump created a crisis for the nation with his short-sighted, cruel decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The moms of our nation urge Congress to act quickly to prevent the dire consequences ending DACA will cause for our economy, our families, our communities and our country. The bipartisan DREAM Act of 2017, co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), is the right choice because it would provide a path to legal status for 1.8 million DREAMers – upstanding members of our communities who came to this country as children and know no other home.
 
“Conversely, the SUCCEED Act is a deeply flawed alternative that would create major hurdles for young immigrants. The SUCCEED Act would exclude hundreds of thousands of young people, including many whose parents are U.S. citizens, through overly restrictive requirements. It would tear apart families by blocking DREAMers who obtain lawful permanent residence from sponsoring their children and spouses. Its waiting period of 15 years before DREAMers can apply for citizenship is unreasonable. It penalizes DREAMers who encounter hard times and need food or health assistance. We need to do better.
 
“We acknowledge the important step the SUCCEED Act sponsors took by recognizing that DREAMers deserve a permanent solution and the chance to fully participate in our society, but urge them to instead support the DREAM Act – the better bill and the only one that will give young people who contribute so much to their communities a real chance at the future they deserve. Our country is strongest when we provide young people with hope and opportunity and when we help families stay together. Passage of the DREAM Act is long overdue. Congress should make it law now.”
 

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.