NDLON Statement on Bill Authorizing DACA & TPS Employment on Capitol Hill

(New York) Earlier this week, Democrats introduced legislation which would lift a current ban on beneficiaries of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) from being able to seek paid employment on Capitol Hill. In response to the introduction of this important legislation which would impact many immigrant young people seeking employment opportunities in politics, advocacy, and government, Diana Sanchez made the following statement on behalf of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network: 

“ United States Representatives Pete Aguilar of California and Greg Stanton of Arizona deserve support for their bill to allow DACA recipients to work in Congress. We applaud the effort to bring our government closer to its stated values. The proposal honors government service, fairness and political equality, and it deserves swift passage.

It is axiomatic that young people are key to the country’s future. But undocumented immigrants in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) programs, while authorized to work, are forbidden to take any paid positions in Congressional offices.

“You may stay here and work — just not for your government” isn’t simply a stupid rule. It is unjust.  It is a glaring example of how broken politics of immigration are holding even the most obvious solutions hostage.

The United States is lucky to have immigrants working in pursuit of the so-called American Dream, and we are especially lucky to have Dreamers who defy enormous odds in defense of shared national values. Depriving citizenship– political and economic equality– to Dreamers has always been foolish to waste potential. Their potential and the country’s potential.  

A path to citizenship has been dangled in front of an entire generation of immigrants for twenty-five years threatening to widen inequality in the country on a massive scale. A simple step forward down this elusive path would be to allow young immigrant civil rights leaders to serve in congress. 

It is very clear there is an absence of rational debate in congress on immigration nowadays. This is one obvious step that could solve that problem.” – Diana Sanchez, Regional Organizer for the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON) 

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