UnidosUS: Spending Package Funds Education, Infrastructure and Other Priorities, But Leaves Out DREAMers

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WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Congress revealed their $1.3 trillion, six-month spending package for the rest of the fiscal year, avoiding another costly government shutdown. In February, a bipartisan agreement eliminated the threat of sequestration for the next two years, opening the door for Congress to fund important priorities, like defense spending and programs that help working families get by. The spending deal funds many of these priorities, but Congress unfortunately passed on another opportunity to provide a permanent legislative solution for DREAMers.

“In a time of economic growth, we should be increasing investments in our communities, improving the education system, expanding access to health care and creating high-quality jobs. This bill does some of those things, like providing $250 million to bolster the work-study program and make college more affordable for low- and middle-income students, and providing $10 billion for our nation’s infrastructure,” said UnidosUS President and CEO Janet Murguía.

President Trump requested $25 billion to fund the construction of a border wall, but the spending package included just $1.6 billion for border security. Unfortunately, the bill did not include a legislative fix for the 800,000 young people brought to the United States as children.

“While this bill does not fund President Trump’s ‘big, beautiful wall,’ his anti-immigrant, anti-Latino agenda remains alive and well. Rather than embracing the contributions of hardworking immigrant families, Republicans insist on advancing the Trump agenda of terrorizing immigrant communities and wasting government resources. Policymakers must remain vigilant in pushing for a legislative solution for thousands of DREAMers and should continue to oppose increased funding for immigration enforcement that rips our families apart,” Murguía concluded.