A group of U.S. Rep. John Ratcliffe's constituents on Monday called for his support of a "clean" Dream Act.
As part of a nationwide event organized by progressive advocacy group MoveOn.org, six area activists gave a Ratcliffe staff member a petition signed by about 120 people asking him to support legislation to protect undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children, sometimes called "Dreamers," from deportation.
Local activist Jo Ann Duman said she would be adding about 400 more signatures that a technical issue had prevented her from bringing Monday.
Constituent liaison Charles Jordan accepted the petition on behalf of Ratcliffe, R-Heath, outside the congressman's local office on the campus of Texarkana College.
Eladio Puente, pastor of Primeria Iglesia Bautista Hispana de Texarkana, led the group of five in prayer and spoke about his faith in a good outcome for Dreamers.
"I tell you, some of our members are privileged to benefit from this program. I know we all have different opinions, but to me, and I have told this to our church, God has given us a few years back this program, and it's God who is working on this. It's a prayer that we have already presented to God since this is going on," Puente said.
In September, President Donald Trump announced he was ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that former President Barack Obama instituted to protect Dreamers from deportation.
"I support President Trump's decision to end an unconstitutional program that was created through President Obama's abuse of executive authority. Obama's constitutional overreach and abuse of the separation of powers has been struck down by the courts before, and I believe DACA would be no different. The constituents I'm privileged to represent want our immigration laws properly enforced and our borders secured. I remain committed to delivering upon those goals for them," Ratcliffe said in a statement.
Trump called on Congress to "legalize DACA" but since has suggested his signing of any such legislation would depend on lawmakers passing other immigration control measures, including funding for Trump's long-promised border wall.
MoveOn.org calls for a "clean," stand-alone Dream Act without any strings attached. The group uses the term "Dream Act" generically to mean any legislation that protects Dreamers, as distinguished from the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors, or DREAM, Act, a specific bill first introduced in 2001 that would lead to permanent resident status for Dreamers.
"It's not their fault. They have no path to citizenship. Now the president has said Congress must act or these people after six months will no longer have legal status," Duman said.
"I have friends and family that are Dreamers, and I know that they deserve to be here just as we do. These children had no way to stop their parents from bringing them here, and they should not be punished for the actions of their parents," activist Jodi O'Connell said.
Dee McGee said she does not know any Dreamers personally, but in them she sees echoes of her own family's story.
"I firmly believe that America was founded on the principle of open arms to all nations, all people who need and want an education and a better life. My family came over on a potato boat many years ago from Ireland, and I think that the young children that are here now are in the same situation. They are contributing and giving so much to our country, and we should accept them," she said.
The House of Representatives is in recess this week. Ratcliffe was in the district Monday but not in his Texarkana office at the time the petition was presented.
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