WASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday, Senator Al Franken (D-MN) and Representative Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) re-introduced the Humane Enforcement and Legal Protections (HELP) for Separated Children Act. The legislation would implement critically needed reforms to protect children and families impacted by immigration enforcement. The First Focus Campaign for Children, a bipartisan children’s advocacy organization, voiced its strong support for the legislation, which includes key provisions that will safeguard child well-being and family unity.

“The ramifications of our broken immigration policies are evident every day, and far too often it is our children who suffer the most. Thousands of innocent children are needlessly separated from their parents due to their parent’s detention or deportation, and some are unnecessarily ending up in the child welfare system,” said Bruce Lesley, president of the First Focus Campaign for Children. “Separation from a parent is detrimental to the life-long physical, social, and mental health of any child. With the HELP Separated Children Act, Senator Franken and Representative Woolsey are standing up for children and families by sending a clear message that our immigration enforcement policies must take into account the best interest of children and respect the fundamental principle of family unity. We look forward to working with Congress to pass this important legislation which will ultimately help protect all children and keep families together.”

“We can’t leave young children to fend for themselves – sometimes for long periods of time – if their parents are caught up and detained by our immigration officials,” said Senator Franken. “This legislation would ensure that we don’t see any more cases like the second-grader in Worthington who had to take care of his two-year-old brother for a week after his parents were detained by immigration authorities.”

While the two versions of the bill differ slightly, both would ensure that parents and guardians apprehended by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or its surrogates are identified in a timely manner and provided the opportunity to make care arrangements for their minor children upon apprehension. The Act would prevent prolonged parent-child separation or the unnecessary termination of parental rights by ensuring that parents and guardians are able to regularly communicate with their children, child welfare staff, and family courts following any enforcement activities. Ultimately, the legislation would minimize the hardship on children and reduce the likelihood that children will be placed unnecessarily into the foster care system.

Specific provisions of the HELP Separated Children Act include:
• Screening to identify parents and guardians by child welfare staff and NGOs.
• Timely notification of local authorities, schools, child welfare agencies, and NGOs regarding enforcement actions.
• Access to free, confidential phone calls for parents and guardians to make care arrangements for their children and throughout the immigration process.
• Collaboration between ICE and child welfare agencies to ensure that parents have regular contact with their children and are able to meaningfully participate in family court proceedings, including the ability to make arrangements to bring children with them to their country of origin if they so choose.
• Consideration of the best interest of children in all decisions regarding the detention, release, and transfer of a parent or guardian.
• An annual report documenting the impact of immigration enforcement policies on U.S. citizen children.

The HELP Separated Children Act has the support of Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), as well as over 170 national, state, and local organizations.

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This letter, signed by over 170 organizations, urges Members of Congress to support the Humane Enforcement and Legal Protections (HELP) for Separated Children Act, legislation introduced by Senator Franken (D-MN) and Representative Woolsey (D-CA-6).

Washington D.C. – Today, Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Harry Reid (D-WV), and Robert Menendes(D-NJ) along with Representatives Howard Berman (D-CA) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) introduced the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act. The bill would provide undocumented students who have grown up in the United States with the opportunity to earn permanent legal status by meeting certain requirements, including completing two years of college or military service.

Bruce Lesley, President of the First Focus Campaign for Children, issued the following statement:

“We are pleased to see Senators Durbin, Reid, and Menendez and Representatives Berman and Ros-Lehtinen demonstrating their steadfast support of children and youth by introducing the DREAM Act.. In doing so, they are heeding the advice of military, business, religious, and education leaders as well as listening to the majority of the American people who agree that this bill is the right thing to do for our children and our country. The young people who would benefit from the DREAM Act have grown up here, been educated in our schools, and deserve the opportunity to give back to the country they call home.

“Passage of the DREAM Act would mean that Eric Balderas, a Harvard biology major who came to the U.S. when he was just 4 years old, can pursue his dream of one day finding a cure for cancer. Passage of the DREAM Act would mean that Laura Lopez, a college graduate who was brought to the U.S. when she was just 1 year old, can achieve her dream of attending law school. Nobody benefits from denying incredibly smart young people like Eric Balderas or Laura Lopez a pathway to citizenship in the United States. They have much to offer our country and it is a waste of human talent and skill to deny these young people the ability to give back to the only country they know and love. Finally, passage of the DREAM Act would mean that hundreds of thousands of children enrolled in our elementary and secondary schools can one day realize their dreams of becoming the future doctors, teachers, and engineers our nation so greatly needs.

“We applaud Senators Durbin, Reid, and Menendez along with Representatives Berman and Ros-Lehtinen and the Administration for continuing to champion this critical piece of legislation. In his 2012 State of the Union Address, the President stated that it ‘makes no sense’ to deport children who had nothing to do with the actions of their parents. We are deeply concerned that so many young people continue to be arrested, jailed and sometimes deported, and we strongly urge the Administration to provide relief to these youth so that they no longer have to live in fear.

“We look forward to working with Congress, the Administration, national and state partners, and the young leaders of the DREAM movement to pass this important legislation. And until that day comes, we will also continue pushing for immediate solutions to protect these young people from further harm, and hold our nation’s leaders accountable for doing right by our children.”

Last night, young people celebrated outside the Maryland Senate chamber as the Senate passed legislation (27-20) that would extend in-state tuition to undocumented immigrant students at the state’s public colleges. The measure will remove a critical barrier for undocumented children who have grown up in Maryland and aspire to a college degree but often are deterred by out-of-state tuition rates.

Around the country, more than two dozen states are currently considering their own bills regarding access to a higher education for undocumented students—and the sentiments are high on both sides of the aisle. Once the Maryland bill is signed into law, the state will join ten others that have passed similar laws. California was the first state to adopt such a policy in 2001, with Texas following shortly after. Over the past ten years, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Utah, and Washington have followed suit. Legislators in these states have come to realize the moral and economic imperative of ensuring that all children in their state, regardless of immigration status, are able to achieve their full potential.

So why is it common-sense policy to make in-state tuition accessible to undocumented students? Well, for one thing, it makes sense for our economy. The 1982 Plyler v. Doe ruling ensures that undocumented children have access to a public K-12 education, as a means to prevent the creation of a permanent "underclass." However, this statute does not apply to higher education. For many undocumented students, the costs of higher education are simply out of reach, especially if they are subject to out-of-state rates. While college costs are often a challenge for all low-income families, undocumented students are unable to rely on the state and federal aid available to low-income U.S. citizen and legal immigrant students. As a result, an estimated 65,000 undocumented youth graduate from U.S. high schools every year, and only about 5-10 percent go to college. After already making an investment in their education, it is simply illogical that the system then acts to prevent these students from putting their talent to use.

While several new states take on their own versions of in-state tuition legislation, some states are considering more restrictive bills, including those that would altogether ban undocumented students from even enrolling in public colleges and universities. A new brief released today by the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AASCU) highlights state-level efforts around the country. In recent years, bills banning undocumented students from enrolling in public institutions were passed in South Carolina and Alabama, and at least five other states are considering similar measures this year.

The urgency for a federal solution to the plight of undocumented students living in the United States couldn’t be clearer. Congress’ failure to take up comprehensive immigration reform or to pass the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act continues to force states to grapple with these difficult challenges. Those who believe that granting young people improved access to a higher education is in some way “rewarding illegal behavior” are overlooking an important fact: these are young people who were brought to the U.S. as children through no choice of their own. What makes more sense then, to punish youth for the actions of their parents or to reward their ambition to better themselves through education?

Last night’s victory for Maryland’s young people is true cause for celebration. It should also serve as reminder to Congress and the Administration that our country is in desperate need of federal solutions to mend our broken immigration system. The future of hundreds of thousands of children and youth—as well as our country as a whole—depends on it.

For more information:

• To read more about state efforts on this issue, click here to read the new report by the American Association of Colleges and Universities
• The Washington Post article discussing the Maryland DREAM bill

Immigration Bill Falls Short in the Senate

Washington D.C. – Today, the United States Senate failed to invoke cloture on the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act with a vote of 55-41. The measure required 60 votes for passage thereby thwarting the clear will of a majority in the Senate. If passed, the bipartisan DREAM Act would have provided undocumented students brought to the United States as children with the opportunity to earn permanent legal status upon meeting certain requirements.

Bruce Lesley, President of the First Focus Campaign for Children, issued the following statement:

"Once again, hundreds of thousands of innocent children are left facing an uncertain future due to political gridlock. Despite widespread support from business, education, military, and religious leaders, as well as 70 percent of the American people, a minority of Senators chose to stand in the way of making the DREAM Act a reality this year.

"Until the DREAM Act becomes law, Eric Balderas, a Harvard student majoring in biology who came to the U.S. when he was just 4 years old, will not achieve his dream of helping to find a cure for cancer one day. And until the DREAM Act becomes law, Cesar Vargas, an accomplished law school student who came to the U.S. at the age of 5, will not achieve his dream of serving in the U.S. military. And we as a country will continue to miss out on the much needed talents of these young people who are American in every way except paperwork.

"We are extremely disappointed that a minority of Republicans and moderate Democrats chose to vote against the bill without any attempt to engage on the substance of the bill over the past few weeks. Rather than stand by children, these Senators have instead held the dreams of so many children hostage to partisan rhetoric and political gridlock. Rest assured, this is a vote that will be remembered for years to come, and those who chose to vote against children will be held accountable.

"We applaud the leadership of Senator Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) for championing this legislation. We also commend the heroic efforts of so many youth leaders who opened their hearts and shared their stories with the American people over the past year. While today's loss is indeed a tragedy, we look forward to continuing to work with the Administration and our allies in Congress to make the DREAM a reality in the near future."

Immigration Bill Moves to Senate after Victory in the House

Washington D.C. - Late yesterday evening, in a historic bipartisan vote, the United States House of Representatives approved the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act. The First Focus Campaign for Children, a bipartisan children's advocacy organization, praised leaders in the House for passing legislation that will create a brighter future for hundreds of thousands of U.S. raised immigrant children while helping America build an educated workforce capable of competing in a global economy. The Senate is expected to vote on the measure as early as today.

Bruce Lesley, President of the First Focus Campaign for Children, issued the following statement:

"We strongly support this legislation because it addresses the plight of innocent children and youth living in the United States who have found themselves held captive by our country's broken immigration system. The DREAM Act will help ensure that every child has the opportunity to achieve his or her potential and fully contribute to our society. We applaud those legislators in the House who listened to the American public, ignored partisan rhetoric, and passed a bill that will improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of children.

"Every year, approximately 65,000 students graduating from American high schools face an uncertain future due to their legal status. Passing the DREAM Act will not only do right by children, but it will also strengthen our nation's economy. According to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), enacting the DREAM Act would help reduce the nation's deficit by $2.2 billion over the next ten years.

"We commend House leadership and Representatives Howard Berman (D-CA), Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), and Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) for their commitment to our country's children. We also applaud the courage of the many immigrant youth whose tireless efforts made this first victory possible.

"We urge the Senate to build upon the momentum set forth by the House and ensure swift passage of this legislation. The DREAM Act is supported by leaders in education, the military, business, and religious orders, as well as a clear majority of the American people and members of the United States Senate."

Washington D.C. – Today, the First Focus Campaign for Children, a national, bipartisan child advocacy group, released the names of Members of Congress identified as the most valuable leaders on issues important to children. The announcement today launches the group’s inaugural campaign to recognize the top 100 Members of Congress who make improving the well-being of children a national priority.

Of the 100 Members of Congress recognized by the group today, 50 Members were named “Champions for Children” on account of their extraordinary efforts to protect and improve the future of America’s next generation. An additional 50 Members were awarded the title “Defenders of Children” and are being recognized for their support of policies that advance the well-being of children.

“We applaud our Champions and Defenders of Children for their unflagging commitment to protect our nation’s future,” said Bruce Lesley, president of the Campaign for Children. “Children cannot vote, hold press conferences, or donate to political campaigns to thank the Members of Congress that support them and protect their interests. And because of that, today we are honoring those Members on behalf of children. This award is intended to give recognition to our nation's top public officials who take action to make children a national priority. We look forward to working with our Champions and Defenders to continue protecting America’s next generation of leaders.”

In selecting the Champions and Defenders honored today, the First Focus Campaign for Children took note of leaders who introduced, co-sponsored, and voted for legislation that would best meet the needs of children. In addition, the organization considered Members who demonstrated extraordinary initiative by spearheading activities such as sponsoring hearings or garnering the support of their colleagues to improve the health and well-being of children.

Learn more about our Champions for Children Campaign.

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Senate Continues to Delay a Vote on the DREAM Act

Washington D.C. - Yesterday, the United States Senate failed to invoke cloture on the Defense Authorization Act, which contained the DREAM Act (S. 729) as an amendment. A minority of 42 senators chose to filibuster a procedural motion, blocking the will of a clear majority of the Senate and the American public who support the DREAM Act. This means that the DREAM Act will not be taken up for a vote this week and the future of the bill remains uncertain.

The DREAM Act would provide undocumented students brought to the United States as children with the opportunity to earn permanent legal status upon meeting certain requirements. Despite growing up in the United States and being educated in American schools, these students face barriers in pursuing a college degree and are left unable to join the workforce due to their lack of legal immigration status.

The First Focus Campaign for Children, a bipartisan children's advocacy organization, has been at the forefront of advocacy for passage of the DREAM Act. Campaign for Children President Bruce Lesley released the following statement:

"The Senate denied the DREAM Act a fair vote on its merits despite overwhelming support from business, education, military, and religious leaders, as well as 70 percent of the American people. Once again hundreds of thousands of innocent children are paying the price for our country's broken immigration system.

"Until the DREAM Act becomes law, Walter Lara, an honor student from Miami, Florida who was brought to the U.S when he was only 3 years old will not achieve his dreams of continuing college and his career in computer graphics. And until the DREAM Act becomes law, Laura Lopez, a 22-year old college graduate from California, will not achieve her dream of attending law school. There are countless stories of talented young people like Walter and Laura waiting for the opportunity to contribute to our country.

"We are deeply concerned that more than a dozen so-called supporters of this legislation used a procedural maneuver to avoid a vote on the DREAM Act. It is unacceptable that once again the dreams of so many children remain on hold due to political gridlock.

"We applaud the heroic efforts of so many youth leaders who participated in countless events across the country and flooded Congress with calls and faxes over the past week. The impact they have made will continue to fuel the conversation so that we achieve a victory on this important legislation later this year."

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, hundreds of youth participated in a mock graduation ceremony in our nation’s capitol to push for passage of the DREAM Act, legislation that would provide undocumented students brought to the United States as children with the opportunity to earn permanent legal status upon meeting certain requirements. For many of these students, high school graduation marks the final “normal” moment in their lives. Despite growing up in the United States and being educated in American schools, they face barriers in pursuing a college degree and are left unable to join the workforce due to their lack of legal immigration status.

The DREAM Act (S.729), introduced in the 111th Congress by Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Richard Lugar (R-IN), would provide certain undocumented students with the ability to obtain permanent legal resident status if they came to the United States as children, have good moral character, finish high school or obtain a G.E.D., and complete two years of college or military service.

Today’s graduation ceremony was organized to send a clear message to Congress that passage of the DREAM Act is vital to the future of hundreds of thousands of young people and to the country as a whole. The youth were joined by immigrant rights leaders, child advocates, and Members of Congress, including Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Representative Raul Grijalva (D-AZ).

Prior to the ceremony, college and university presidents from across the country also called on Congress to immediately take action on the bill by participating on a press teleconference. The higher education community has been unanimous in their support of the DREAM Act, which has the potential to provide approximately 65,000 high school graduates annually with improved access to a higher education and a legal means by which to join the U.S. workforce.

The First Focus Campaign for Children, a bipartisan children’s advocacy organization, has been at the forefront of advocacy for passage of DREAM. The organization recently released a poll that placed bipartisan support for the bill at 70 percent. Campaign for Children President Bruce Lesley released the following statement:

“We applaud the efforts of the hundreds of brave young people who made the journey to Washington today to call on Congress to take a stand and do what is right for children and for the future of our country. Passage of the DREAM Act would provide these youth, who currently face an uncertain future, with the opportunity to contribute to the country they already call home by putting them on a path to citizenship.

“The poll we commissioned last month confirms that there is strong public support across the country and across party lines to move forward with the DREAM Act. The bill is a common-sense solution to address the hundreds of thousands of young people who were brought to the United States as children and are left unable to pursue the American dream.

“The future success of our country lies in our ability to cultivate an educated workforce capable of competing in the global economy. We cannot afford to continue losing the talent of so many students who have already been educated in American schools. It is time for children to stop paying the price for our broken immigration system. We strongly urge Congress to take immediate action to pass the DREAM Act.”

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Al Franken (D-MN) and Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI) introduced the Humane Enforcement and Legal Protections (HELP) for Separated Children Act, legislation that would implement critically needed reforms to protect children and families impacted by immigration enforcement. The First Focus Campaign for Children, a bipartisan children’s advocacy organization, voiced its strong support for the legislation, which includes key provisions that will safeguard child well-being and family unity.

Specifically, the bill would ensure that parents and guardians apprehended by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or its surrogates are identified in a timely manner and provided the opportunity to make care arrangements for their minor children upon apprehension. The bill would prevent prolonged parent-child separation or the unnecessary loss of parental rights by ensuring that parents and guardians are able to regularly communicate with their children, the child welfare system, and family courts. The legislation would minimize hardship on children and save taxpayers millions of dollars by reducing the likelihood that children will be placed unnecessarily into the foster care system.

“The ramifications of our broken immigration policies are evident every day, and far too often it is our children who suffer the most. Innocent children are needlessly separated from their parents due to their parent’s detention or deportation, and some are unnecessarily ending up in the child welfare system,” said Bruce Lesley, president of the First Focus Campaign for Children. “Separation from a parent is detrimental to the life-long physical, social, and mental health of any child. It is imperative that Congress reform our immigration enforcement policies to ensure that we are taking into account the best interest of our children and respecting the fundamental principle of family unity.

“We applaud Senator Franken and Senator Kohl for their leadership in introducing this important piece of legislation which will ensure that our immigration enforcement policies are humane and do not compromise our American values of protecting all children and keeping families together. We are delighted to endorse such a measure, which will ultimately promote the safety and well-being of our nation’s children.”

Specific provisions of the HELP Separated Children Act include:

• Screening of parents and guardians by child welfare agencies and NGOs.
• Timely notification of schools, child welfare agencies, and NGOs regarding enforcement actions.
• Access to free, confidential phone calls for parents and guardians to make care arrangements for their children.
• Collaboration between ICE and child welfare agencies to ensure that parents have regular contact with their children and are able to meaningfully participate in family court proceedings.
• Consideration of the best interest of children in all decisions regarding the detention, release, and transfer of a parent or guardian.

The bill has the support of Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Russ Feingold (D-WI), Richard Durbin (D-IL), and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and has been endorsed by over 150 national and state organizations.

Similar legislation, also known as the HELP Separated Children Act (HR 3531), has been introduced in the House of Representatives by Representative Lynn Woolsey (D-CA).

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