Gaby Pacheco Op-Ed in the Miami Herald: It’s Time to Give DREAMers the “Certainty of American Citizenship”

Ahead of “Dream and Promise” Legislation in House of Representatives Next Week, Read New Op-ed HERE

Washington, DC – Gaby Pacheco, Director of Advocacy, Communications and Development for TheDream.US, has authored a new op-ed in the Miami Herald.

Titled, “It’s time to give undocumented DREAMers the certainty of American citizenship,” the op-ed notes that, “Despite important breakthroughs over the past decade, DREAMers still are not able to plan their futures in the United States with full confidence” and “It’s time to finally deliver legislation that makes DREAMers full citizens, whose futures are no longer subject to the whims of individual judges. The United States will only be made stronger by settling this issue once and for all.”

Below, find additional excerpts of the op-ed and read the full version online at the Miami Herald here.

“It’s time to give undocumented DREAMers the certainty of American citizenship,” 

By Gaby Pacheco

“Legislation supporting DREAMers is having its day in Washington — again — with the bipartisan Dream Act introduced in the U.S. Senate and the American Dream and Promise Act facing a mid-March vote in the House.

If that all sounds familiar, you’re right.

Ten years ago, in December 2010, I watched and cried from the Senate gallery as DREAMers came a few votes short of seeing the DREAM Act pass in that chamber, after it had already passed in the House of Representatives.

I had the honor of helping draw awareness to DREAMers, the name for undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children, as one of three young immigrants who marched from Miami to Washington as part of the Trail of Dreams. Yet despite 55 votes and the support of the public, the DREAM Act could not overcome a filibuster.

Despite important breakthroughs over the past decade, DREAMers still are not able to plan their futures in the United States with full confidence.

…DREAMers await a ruling from Judge Andrew Hanen, after a late December hearing on the case. Regardless of the end ruling, the legal challenge itself underscores that DACA does not provide the certainty and permanence that DREAMers — and America — need.

…It’s time to finally deliver legislation that makes DREAMers full citizens, whose futures are no longer subject to the whims of individual judges. The United States will only be made stronger by settling this issue once and for all.”

About TheDream.US

TheDream.US is the nation’s largest college and career success program for immigrant youth, having provided more than 6,500 college scholarships to DREAMers attending over 75 partner colleges in 19 states and Washington, DC. We believe that all young Americans, regardless of where they were born, should have the opportunity to get a college education and pursue a meaningful career that contributes to our country’s future.