ADVERTISEMENT

Schumer Calls for Clean Dream Act Passage, Says Trump Called And Wants to Help

September 7, 2017

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) called for the passage of a "clean Dream Act" on Thursday, saying President Donald Trump had called him, and wanted to help.

The "Dream Act" has been brought forward in various forms for 16 years, and never passed. Meant to create protections and a path to legalization for young illegal immigrants brought to America with their families, the latest version has been put forward as a legislative replacement for DACA, the 2012 Obama-era program rescinded this week by the Trump administration.

"Since President Trump's decision to end DACA on Tuesday, it's absolutely necessary that Congress move forward to pass a clean Dream Act," he said. "800,000 dreamers anxiously await action by this Congress. there is no reason to wait. Let's put a clean Dream act on the floor, which I believe would pass by a significant margin, and tell these hardworking Dreamers they belong in this country, too, a country they want to be part of desperately."

Schumer said Trump called him Thursday morning and wanted to "help" with the Dream Act. Schumer encouraged Trump to persuade more Republicans to get onboard with the bill introduced by Sens. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.) and Dick Durbin (D., Ill.)

He also urged Trump to tell Republican leaders, Sen. Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R., Wis.), to put the bill on the floor "ASAP."

"We can get this done, get it done quickly. End the anguish of so many Americans and make sure that our economy continues to move forward and is not needlessly ripped apart," he said.

Schumer praised and thanked Trump for listening to his, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's (D., Calif.), "compromise" on a short-term government funding plan. The plan included a three-month debt ceiling limit increase and aid for Hurricane Harvey.