NLIRH: “We Demand Republican Leadership Protect Dreamers”

Washington, D.C. —  The House and Senate are expected to vote today on a budget deal that would prevent another government shutdown and increase government funding for the next two years. The budget deal includes critical funding for community health centers, disaster relief, opioid funding, 10-year extension for CHIP, and funding for other essential health programs. However, the two-year budget deal does not include a solution to protect immigrant youth from deportation. Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has guaranteed to put immigration measures up for a vote next week, while House Leader Paul Ryan has not committed to bringing a bill to a vote that the White House would not support. Ann Marie Benitez, senior director of government relations for the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health (NLIRH), issued the following statement:

“We are relieved that the Senate has included critical funding for community health centers, disaster relief, opioid funding, and essential health programs, but we do not support a budget deal that excludes protections for Dreamers and puts immigrant youth to the side. 122 Dreamers are losing their DACA status daily. Starting on March 5, nearly 1,000 undocumented youth will lose their DACA status daily. Attaching a DACA fix to the budget – a must pass bill – would prevent this from happening. Republicans need to bring a clean Dream Act to a vote, and Democrats need to continue holding the line for Dreamers. Without a commitment to protect immigrant youth from deportation, NLIRH’s support for this budget deal cannot be swayed.”

For more information on NLIRH’s fight for health, dignity and justice, visit us at latinainstitute.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter @NLIRH.

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The National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health is the only national reproductive justice organization dedicated to building Latina power to advance health, dignity, and justice for 28 million Latinas, their families, and communities in the United States through leadership development, community mobilization, policy advocacy, and strategic communications.