Statement by Michael Mitchell, National Stonewall Democrats Executive Director, on the Failure of the Senate to Pass the DREAM Act

“With the failure of the DREAM Act today, the dreams of citizenship for undocumented youth who were brought here while they were young have been painfully put on hold. National Stonewall Democrats supported the DREAM Act because many of those youth are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, but also because it made sense for America, not least of which for military recruitment. It also would have had the added benefit of reducing the deficit by over a billion dollars.

“No amount of xenophobia – because that’s what killed the DREAM Act – can change the fact that America is mostly a country of immigrants. The DREAM Act was a path to citizenship for young people, many of whom have only known this country as their home. It’s shameful that access to citizenship and a chance to achieve the American dream have been thwarted by ideologues.”