400 Groups Nationwide Urge Congress to Protect Dreamers and TPS and DED Holders

May 21, 2019,

Dear Speaker Pelosi, Leader McCarthy, Chairman Nadler, and Ranking Member Collins,

We, the undersigned national, state, and local education, civil and human rights, LGBTQ+, labor, national security, faith, grassroots, and immigrants’ rights organizations, write to express our support for the American Dream and Promise Act as it goes before the House Judiciary Committee for markup. The legisl ation w ould put immigrant youth known as Dreamers and long - time beneficiaries of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) on a roadmap to citizenship

Over the past two years, the Trump administration has taken steps to end Deferre d Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and strip status from nearly every individual with TPS and all of those with DED. Only a small number of preliminary injunctions prevent these individuals from facing the prospect of detention and deportation. The administration’s actions are inflicting enormous pain and uncertainty on more than a million people — not to mention their families and their communities who face an impending separation crisis.

These individuals live in every state and every congressional district. They are our classmates and our teachers, our coworkers and our employers. They worship with us and help to keep us safe. They contribute to our great nation in myriad ways. The average DACA recipient came to the country at age six, while the averag e TPS holder has been in the country for 22 years. Between them, they have nearly 500,000 U.S. citizen children, not to mention many hundreds of thousands more U.S. citizen parents, spouses, and siblings, all of whom are suffering already and will suffer s till more if the Trump administration is successful in ending their protections.

Dreamers and beneficiaries of TPS and DED also are vital to the economic health of our nation: They work in a range of critical industries, from construction — particularly in states such as Texas, California, Florida, Virginia, and North Carolina that are still recovering from natural disasters — to child care, to health care, to education, and more. Many work for Fortune 500 companies or have started their own businesses, creati ng jobs and economic opportunities for their fellow Americans. They pay billions of dollars in federal, state, and local taxes each year.

And while court rulings have allowed current DACA beneficiaries, and TPS holders from El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Sudan, the opportunity to maintain protections for now, the Trump administration is fighting back aggressively. These court injunctions also offer no relief to Dreamers who were eligible for DACA, or would have aged into DACA, but wer e locked out of the program when the Trump administration ended it, or to TPS holders from countries not now covered by the preliminary court orders. Moreover, just 3 days before Liberians with DED who have lived and worked in the United States lawfully si nce at least 2002 — and many for far longer — were going to lose their status and find themselves vulnerable to being ripped from their families and communities, detained and deported, the Trump administration announced a one - year reprieve.

There are many parts of the immigration system that urgently need fixing, but protecting Dreamers and beneficiaries of TPS and DED cannot wait. It is long past time to recognize that these individuals are part of the American family and merit protection from deportation, pe rmanent status, and a path to eventual citizenship. They and their families and communities at long last deserve the peace of mind to be able to plan ahead and make a better life that others take for granted. We stand ready to work with you to quickly pass this common - sense legislation.

Sincerely,

National Groups

Advocates for Youth
African American Ministers In  Action
African Communities Together
AIDS United
Alianza Americas
America’s Voice
American Civil Liberties Union
American Federation of Labor - Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL - CIO)
American Federation of Teachers
American Friends Service Committee
American GI Forum of the US
American Immigration Lawyers Association
American - Arab Anti - Discrimination Committee (ADC)
Anti - Defamation League 
Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum
Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF)
Asian Americans Advancing Justice
Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL - CIO
Asian Pacific Institute on Gender - Based Violence
ASISTA
ASPIRA Association 
Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents
AsylumConnect
Athlete Ally
Autistic Self Advocacy Network
Bend the Arc: Jewish Action
Bread for the World
California Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CALCASA)
Casa de Esperanza: National Latina Network for Healthy Families and Communities
Center for American Progress
Center for Popular Democracy
Center for Victims of Torture
CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers
Centro de los Derechos del Migrante, Inc.
Christian Community Development Association
Church World Service
Citizens for Criminal JUSTICE
Clearinghouse on Women's Issues
Coalition on Human Needs
Columban Center for Advocacy and Outreach
Columbia Law School Immigrants' Rights Clinic
Communications Workers of America 
Congregation of Our Lady of the Good Shepherd, US Provinces
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute
Council for Global Equality
Council of Administrators of Special Education
Council on American - Islamic Relations (CAIR)
Daily Kos Defending Rights & Dissent 
Democrats for Education Reform
Diaspora in Action
Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF)
Disciples Refugee & Immigration Ministries
Earthjustice
EDGE Consulting
Educators for Excellence
Episcopal Diocese of S.E Florida
Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM)
Faith in Public Life
Families Belong Together
Family Action Network Movement (FANM)
Farmworker Justice
Federation des Associations Regionales Haitiennes de la Diaspora (FAREHD)
Federation of Liberia Mandingo Associat ions in the USA
Feminist Majority Foundation
First Focus
Fondasyon Mapou
FORGE, Inc.
Franciscan Action Network
Freedom for Immigrants
Freedom Forward
Freedom Network USA
Friends Committee on National Legislation
Gender Spectrum
Generation Progress
GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ Equality
GLSEN
Grand Kru County Development Association in the Americas
GreenLatinos
HIAS
Hip Hop Caucus Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU)
Hispanic Federation
Hispanic National Bar Association
Hispanics in Philanthropy
HOPE Border Institute
Human Rights Campaign
Human Rights Watch
Immigration Hub
In Our Own Voice: National Black Women's Reproductive Justice Agenda
Indivisible
Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti 
Interfaith Worker Justice
International Association for College Admission Counseling
International Rescue Committee (IRC)
InterReligious Task Force on Central America and Colombia
Japanese American Citizens League
Jewish Council for Public Affairs
Jobs With Justice 
Kids in Need of Defense
KIPP
Labor Council For Latin American Advancement
Latin America Working Group (LAWG)
LatinoJustice PRLDEF
Leadership Conference of Women Religious
League of Women Voters of the United States
Main Street Alliance
MALDEF
MANA, A National Latina Organization
Mennonite Central Committee U.S. Washington Office
Mi Familia Vota MomsRising
Movement Advancement Project
MoveOn
NAACP
NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.
NARAL Pro - Choice America
National Action Network
National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd
National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF)
National Association for College Admission Counseling
National Association of Hispanic Federal Executives
National Black Justice Coalition
National Center for Lesbian Rights
National Center for Transgender Equality
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
National Council of Churches
National Council of Jewish Women
National Domestic Violence Hotline
National Domestic Workers Alliance 
National Education Association
National Employment Law Project
National Employment Lawyers Association
National Equality Action Team (NEAT)
National Health Law Program
National Hispanic Medical Association
National Human Services Assembly
National Immigrant Justice Center
National Immigration Law Center
National Institute for Reproductive Health (NIRH)
National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC)
National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health
National Latinx Psychological Association
National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund
National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
National Organization for Women
National Partnership for New Americans
National Partnership for Women & Families
National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA)
National Religious Campaign Against Torture
National Skills Coalition
National Survivor Network
National Women's Law Center
NETWORK Lobby
NextGen America
NHCSL - The National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators
OutServe - SLDN
Oxfam America
People's Action Institute
Physicians for Reproductive Health
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
Population Connection Action Fund
Positive Women's Network USA
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration
Pride at Work
Public Citizen
School Social Work Association of America
SchoolHouse Connection
Service Employees International Union
Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS)
Sierra Club
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas - Institute Justice Team
Sisters of Mercy
South Central Community
Sojourners
South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT)
Southern Border Communities Coalition
SparkAction
Stand for Children
Sull and Associates, PLLC
T'ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights 
TASH
Teach Plus
The Education
Trust
The Pluralism Project
The Revolutionary Love Project
The United Methodist Church - General Board of Church and Society
Truman National Security Project
UFW Foundation
Ujima, Inc.: The National Center on Violence Against Women in the Black Community
ULAA
UndocuBlack Network
UnidosUS
Union for Reform Judaism
Unión=Fuerza Latinx Institute
Unitarian Universalist Association
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
UNITE HERE
United Farm Workers (UFW)
United Nimba Citizens' Council (UNICCO)
United States Hispanic Leadership Institute
United We Dream
URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity
Voices for Progress
Voto Latino
Washington DC Area Liberia Mandingo Association
Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) 
We Are All America
Win Without War
Witness to Mass Incarceration
Women for Afghan
Women Working Families United
Year Up
Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights
Young Invincibles
YWCA USA

State and Local Groups

350Seattle Academy of Medical & Public Health Services Adhikaar Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc. AFSC Colorado Al Otro Lado All Saints Church Alliance for a Better Community Apostle Immigrant Services, Corporation Arab American Association of New York Arizona Center for Empowerment (ACE) Arizona Dream Act Coalition Arkansas United Arsht Cannon Fund Asian Counseling & Referral Service Association of Haitian Women (AFAB) Breakthrough Schools Cabrini Immigrant Services of NYC, Inc. CAIR Florida CARECEN DC CASA Casa Latina Ca tholic Charities Tompkins/Tioga Catholic Legal Services, Archdiocese of Miami Causa Oregon Center for the Human Rights of Children, Loyola University Chicago School of Law Central Indiana Jobs With Justice Children's Defense Fund - New York Chinese - American Planning Council Clergy and laity United for Economic Justice Cleveland Jobs with Justice Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) Coalition of Refugee Service Agencies Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition Columbia Legal Services CONNECT Safe Families Peaceful Communities Connecticut Students for a Dream Conversations with Friends Culinary Union DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence DMV Sanctuary Congregation Network Dolores Street Community Services DoTheMostGood Montgom ery County, MD Dreamer Fund DRUM: Desis Rising Up and Moving East Texas Justice For Our Neighbors El Concilio/Hispanic American Council El Rescate Emerald Isle Immigration Center Employee Rights Center End Domestic Abuse WI Enlace Comunitario Entre Hermano s Equality California Equality North Carolina Family Rights Network FL Immigrant Coalition Florida Coastal School of law Clinical Programs Friends of Broward Detainees Friends of Miami - Dade Detainees Fuerza del Valle Gainesville Interfaith Alliance for Immigrant Justice Georgia AFL - CIO Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials (GALEO) Georgia Equality Georgia NAACP H.O.P.E. Ministries of Georgia, Inc . Haitian American Democratic Club of Broward County HAITIAN ARTISTS ASSEMBLY OF MASSACHUSETTS Haitian Bridge Alliance Haitian Centers Council, Inc. Haitian - Americans United, Inc. (H.A.U.) Hispanic Federation Connecticut State Office Hispanics In Politics II Los Angeles Illinois Accountability Initiative Illinois Association for Colleg e Admission Counseling Immigrant Allies of Marshalltown Immigrant Family Services Institute Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project Indivisible Eastside - WA Indivisible Vashon Inland Empire Immigrant Youth Collective Intercommunit y Justice and Peace Center International Institute of Buffalo Jefferson County Immigrant Rights Advocates Jews United for Justice Kansas People's Action Kentucky Association for College Admission Counseling La Union del Pueblo Entero (LUPE) Legal Aid Justice Center Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA) Lorain Ohio Immigrant Rights Association Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce Los Angeles LGBT Center Loyola University Chicago Civitas Child Law Center Maine Community Integration Maine Equal Just ice Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition Maine People's Alliance Maine Women's Lobby Make the Road New Jersey Make the Road NY Make the Road PA MAPS - AMEN (American Muslim Empowerment Network) Massachusetts Communities Action Network Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) Migrant Center for Human Rights MinKwon Center for Community Action Minnesota Association of College Admissions Counselors MACAC Missouri Association for College Admissions Counseling Muslim You th Collective - Indianapolis Muslim - Jewish Solidarity Committee National Lawyers Guild - Los Angeles Chapter Nebraska Appleseed Nevada Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents New England Association of College Admissions Counselors New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice New Mexico Immigrant Law Center New York City Anti - Violence Project New York Immigration Coalition New York State Association of College Admission Counseling NM CAFe NM Dream Team North County Immigratio n Task Force Northwest Immigrant Rights Project Ohio Association of College Admissions Counseling Ohio Immigrant Alliance OneAmerica OneJustice Pacific Northwest Association of College Admission Counseling Partnership for Southern Equity Pennsylvania Assoc iation for College Admission Counseling Pilipino Workers Center Pilipino Workers Center of SC Progress Florida Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada Proyecto Juan Diego Public Counsel Puget Sound Advocates for Retirement Action (PSARA) Reformed Church of Highland Park Rocky Mountain Association for College Admissions Counseling Sant La Haitian Neighborhood Center SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center SEIU 2015 SEIU 32BJ SEIU Healthcare Minnesota SEIU Local 1 SEIU Local 99 Education Workers United SEIU United Service Workers West Service Employees International Union - Texas Silver State Equality Sisters of St. Francis, St. Francis Province Sisters of Mercy West Midwest Community Skagit Immigrant Rights Council SLV Immigrant Resource Center SOMOS Mayfair S t Joseph Valley Project Jobs with Justice Sudanese American Community NY SURJ Montgomery County Takoma Park Mobilization Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition Texas Association for College Admissions Counseling The Campaign for College Opportuni ty The Resurrection Project Transformations CDC Tuesdays With Toomey Pittsburgh Tuesdays with Toomey - Allentown, PA UAW Local 4121 Unite Oregon University of Tulsa Legal Clinic UnLocal, Inc. Vashon - Maury SURJ ~ Showing Up for Racial Justice VIDA Legal Assistance, Inc. Virginia Coalition of Latino Organizations (VACOLAO) Virginia NOW Virginia Organizing Wallingford Indivisible Western Association for College Admission Counseling Whitman - Walker Health Wind of the Spirit Wisconsin Mandingo Association of Milwaukee (WIMAM) Worker Justice Center of New York