DACA

On September 5, 2017, Donald Trump’s Justice Department terminated the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA.

Since this announcement, Senator Feinstein and her Democratic colleagues have prioritized protecting these young people, known as Dreamers, from deportation.

Statements

  • On December 21, 2017, Senator Feinstein released a statement laying out why she would not vote for a government funding bill that did not include the Dream Act. Her statement can be read here. Excerpt:

“I’ve supported passage of the Dream Act for more than a decade. I’ve been a vocal supporter of young people protected by DACA since President Obama created the program in 2012. I’ve been an advocate for CHIP, which insures millions of children, for two decades. I’m not new to these issues, and my positions haven’t changed.”

  • On December 5, 2017, Senator Feinstein released a statement opposing Kirstjen Nielsen for Homeland Security Secretary. Her statement can be found here. Excerpt:

“I voted against Kristjen Nielsen as Department of Homeland Security Secretary because I believe she would continue to prioritize deporting immigrant families rather than criminals. We also don’t yet have a commitment from Republican leadership that the DREAM Act will be passed by the end of the year, which places hundreds of thousands of young people in line for DHS deportation.”

  • On October 18, 2017, Senator Feinstein spoke at an oversight hearing with Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Her statement can be found here. Excerpt:

“On DACA, you recommended in September that the program be terminated. And I think we believe these young people have placed their trust in the government. They have come out of the shadows. They have provided all of their information to authorities. They seek the opportunity to “get right with the law.” And I think most of us believe these DREAMers embody the American spirit and have made positive contributions to the country. So we should stand by them.”

  • On October 9, 2017, Senator Feinstein released a statement on the Trump administration’s immigration priorities. The statement can be found here. Excerpt:

“The Trump administration created a crisis by terminating the DACA program. Now it’s demanding draconian changes to our immigration system in exchange for fixing that crisis. It’s wrong to play with people’s lives and DACA recipients shouldn’t be a political football. The administration has now clearly stated that it doesn’t want to work in a bipartisan fashion, and that’s unfortunate. In response, Congress should quickly work to pass the bipartisan DREAM Act before Christmas.”

  • On October 5, 2017, Senator Feinstein released a statement about her decision to oppose the nomination of Francis Cissna as head of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The statement can be found here. Excerpt:

“I voted against the nomination of Francis Cissna as director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services because he refused to commit to the DACA program or protecting the hundreds of thousands of young people it currently safeguards. The Trump administration’s decision to end DACA without a permanent, legislative solution is cruel and irresponsible. I cannot support nominations for immigration positions in the administration until DACA youth are protected.”

  • On October 3, 2017, Senators Feinstein and Harris released a joint statement encouraging DACA recipients to mail their renewal applications. The statement can be found here.
  • On September 12, 2017, Senator Feinstein released a statement in support of a lawsuit filed by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra to preserve DACA. The statement can be found here. Excerpt:

“I strongly support Attorney General Becerra’s decision to take legal action to preserve the DACA program and protect more than 232,000 Californians from deportation. While I’m confident that DACA would be upheld, this action by Attorney General Becerra is no substitute for congressional action. Dreamers need a permanent, legislative solution that provides a path to citizenship. We should pass the DREAM Act as soon as possible.”

  • On September 5, 2017, Senator Feinstein released a statement on the termination of DACA and called for action on the “Dream Act.” The statement can be found here.

“Failure to protect young people who have come out of the shadows would constitute an abject moral failure. DACA recipients registered with the government, had background checks and paid taxes. They provided extensive documentation about their lives and put their trust in the government. We can’t respond by penalizing them.”

Op-eds

  • On December 7, 2016, Senator Feinstein wrote an op-ed entitled “Dreamers fear deportation” for the San Francisco Chronicle. The op-ed can be found here. Excerpt:

“I intend to join that effort to protect the more than 350,000 law-abiding young people who are living, working and being educated in the state of California. We have a moral obligation to do all we can to shield them from deportation and keep their families together.”

Remarks

  • On December 21, 2017, Senator Feinstein submitted remarks to the Congressional Record where she laid out the reasons why she could not vote for a government funding bill that didn’t include the Dream Act. The remarks can be read here. Excerpt:

“These young people study, they work, they pay their taxes. They’re patriotic. They’re American in every way that counts, and to leave them in such uncertainty is nothing less than cruel.”

  • On September 6, 2017, Senator Feinstein spoke on the Senate floor about protecting DACA students and their contributions to society. She also called for a vote on the “Dream Act.” Video of the speech can be found here.
  • On October 3, 2017, Senator Feinstein spoke at the hearing entitled “Oversight of the Administration’s Decision to End Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.” The press release about her statement can be found here  and video is available here. Excerpt:

“No family in America should be forced to face this fear and uncertainty at the hands of their own government. So I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting Senators Graham and Durbin in passing the DREAM Act. These youth should not be political footballs, they shouldn’t be asked to choose between their future and their families, and they should have the certainty of permanent immigration status.”

Congressional hearings

  • As the lead Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Feinstein invited Oscar Vazquez, a former Dreamer and U.S. Army veteran, to testify against the confirmation of Attorney General Jeff Sessions in January 2017. His written testimony is available here and video of his testimony can be watched here.
  • Senator Feinstein also invited Denisse Rojas Marquez, another Dreamer from California, to testify on October 3, 2017, at a hearing titled “Oversight of the Administration’s Decision to End Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.” Her written testimony is available here and video of her testimony can be watched here.

Letters

  • On July 27, 2017, Senator Feinstein joined a letter led by Senators Chuck Schumer and Dick Durbin to President Trump asking that he use his executive authority to protect the DACA program. Text of the letter can be found here.
  • On September 25, 2017, Senator Feinstein joined a letter led by Senator Bill Nelson to Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke asking for the deadline to submit DACA renewal applications to be extended. The letter can be found here.
  • On October 25, 2017, Senator Feinstein joined a letter led by Senators Robert Menendez and Kamala Harris to Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke asking that the information provided by individuals as part of the DACA program be protected from use for enforcement purposes. The letter can be found here.
  • On November 15, 2017, Senator Feinstein joined a letter led by Senator Martin Heinrich to Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke regarding the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) rejection of renewal requests that were received after the application deadline due to U.S. Postal Service delays. The letter can be found here.
  • On November 21, 2017, Senator Feinstein signed onto a letter led by Senator Catherine Cortez Masto asking Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to pass the “Dream Act” before Senate recess in December. The letter can be found here.

Legislation

  • On August 2, 2017, Senator Feinstein cosponsored the “Dream Act” (S. 1615) introduced by Senator Graham (R-SC) and Senator Durbin (D-IL). This legislation would provide a path to legal status to undocumented persons who were 18 years old or younger when they first arrived in the U.S., have lived in the country four years prior to enactment, and have satisfied certain higher education or military service requirements, among other criteria.
  • On January 12, 2017, Senator Feinstein became an original cosponsor of the “BRIDGE Act” (S. 128) introduced by Senator Graham (R-SC) and Senator Durbin (D-IL). The “BRIDGE Act” would provide extended protection from deportation, for three years, to those who qualified for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
  • On April 12, 2007, Senator Feinstein cosponsored the “Dream Act of 2007” (S.774) introduced by Senator Dick Durbin. This legislation would provide a path to legal status to undocumented persons who were 18 years old or younger when they first arrived in the U.S., have lived in the country four years prior to enactment, and have satisfied certain higher education or military service requirements, among other criteria.

Votes

  • On December 23, 2017, Senator Feinstein voted against a continuing resolution to fund the government because it did not include the Dream Act. She said she would continue to fight for its passage at every opportunity.
  • On June 27, 2013, Senator Feinstein voted in support of passage of the bi-partisan comprehensive immigration reform measure known as the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act that included the Dream Act (S. 744). The bill would have given legal status to an estimated 11 million individuals, including Dreamers.
  • On December 18, 2010, Senator Feinstein voted in support of cloture on the Dream Act (S. 3963). This bill would provide a path to legal status to undocumented persons who were 16 years or younger when they first arrived in the U.S., have lived in the country five years prior to enactment, and have satisfied certain higher education requirements, among other criteria.
  • On October 24, 2007, Senator Feinstein voted in support of cloture on the Dream Act (S. 2205). This bill would provide a path to legal status to undocumented persons who were 16 years or younger when they first arrived in the U.S., have lived in the country five years prior to enactment, and have satisfied certain higher education requirements, among other criteria.