Washington, D.C. — Yesterday, Reps. Jeff Denham (R-CA), Will Hurd (R-TX), and Carlos Curbelo (R-FL) introduced a discharge petition that could force a vote in the House of Representatives on measures to protect Dreamers, including the United and Securing America Act and the Dream Act of 2017. Tom Jawetz, vice president of Immigration Policy at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:
The introduction of a discharge petition is a step in the right direction, but the hard work of Reps. Denham, Hurd, and Curbelo to gather support within their own party has only just begun. As House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) digs in his heels and continues to prevent a simple debate on the House floor, no Republican sponsor of the underlying “Queen of the Hill” resolution can remain on the sidelines and refuse to sign the discharge petition. Until enough members have come forward to break leadership’s hold on the process, it is hard to see this effort as anything more than the most vulnerable members of the majority party scrambling for their political survival.
For more information on this topic or to speak with an expert, please contact Rafael Medina at [email protected] or 202-478-5313.