Washington, DC – The Dream Action Coalition released the following statement in response to Speaker Boehner’s comment that immigration will have to wait next year:
There has been a cloud of doubt looming over immigration as Speaker Boehner and top Republicans have indicated immigration may not happen this year due to electoral politics. This is unacceptable.
Republican leadership will need, and deserve, political room to operate and craft legislation that will be amenable to both parties. Respectful space to debate granted to the GOP, however, does not mean a blank check on time: House Republicans can, and should, move swiftly to pass legislation.
The urgency stems not only from political pressure, but rather from the crisis of family separation our country faces.
«This unabated and arbitrary enforcement is creating a crisis of family separation, with millions of American citizens in mix-status families being affected. As the party that identifies itself with “family values”, Republicans must act swiftly to address the deportation crisis or we will be looking to the President for leadership and unilateral deportation relief», said Erika Andiola, co-Director of the Dream Action Coalition.
We will ensure that Dreamers and our community come out strong to defeat the Republican Party in 2014 and beyond.
In either case, action by the President will put the GOP in a worse position: they will either have to attack President Obama on any executive action that will be wildly popular amongst Latino voters, or they will have to fend off criticism for derailing every viable immigration reform for years now.
Republicans will take much more damage on the issue the longer they wait.
