For more than a decade, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program has provided deportation relief and work authorization to immigrants who came to this country as children and grew up as Americans. While DACA has been a necessary lifeline to nearly 700,000 undocumented young people, its temporary protections remain under constant legal threat.

DACA has given undocumented folks the autonomy and peace we take for granted every day. DACA recipients are able to pursue higher education, build a career, get a driver’s license, and sleep easy at night knowing their family will not be uprooted at a moment’s notice. DACA has also allowed Dreamers to accomplish remarkable achievements.

The Dream Act of 2023 (S. 365) will provide a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, Temporary Protected Status holders, and Deferred Enforced Departure recipients. Finally, vital members of our community will have the opportunity to gain citizenship, which would protect them from being torn away from their jobs, service, and families.

Undocumented youth deserve an opportunity. Immigrants deserve to be treated with dignity. It’s time to build a just immigration system that lives up to the values America aspires to achieve.

Urge your elected leaders to do all in their power to ensure that the Dream Act of 2023 becomes law.