California Senator Commemorates DACA’s 14th Birthday
WATCH: Padilla: “All Dreamers deserve the opportunity to continue contributing to their communities and to our country”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0Nb6-1U_gA
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, delivered remarks on the Senate floor commemorating the 14th Anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Padilla emphasized DACA’s legacy and called for permanent protections for DACA recipients and Dreamers.
In his remarks, Padilla recognized DACA recipients and Dreamers nationwide who have made important impacts on their communities but have simultaneously been impacted by the Trump Administration’s ongoing efforts to undermine the DACA program by delaying or suspending processing renewals. Padilla shared stories from Californians who have been impacted by these renewal delays and called on Congress to modernize the U.S. immigration system to support Dreamers and DACA recipients who deserve the opportunity to thrive in our country.
“Fourteen years ago, the United States government made that promise that if they came forward, passed the background check, followed the rules, did everything that we asked of them, that they could stay here and pursue their dreams in the country, the only country that they have ever known, and hundreds of thousands of brave young people did exactly that,” said Senator Padilla.
In 2025, Padilla joined Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) in introducing the Dream Act of 2025 to provide permanent protections for Dreamers and DACA recipients. The legislation would allow noncitizens without lawful status who were brought to the United States as children and meet certain education, military service, or work requirements to earn lawful permanent residence and a pathway to citizenship.
Senator Padilla has long championed permanent protections for Dreamers and DACA recipients and has been a leading voice in Congress for providing long-term undocumented immigrants with pathways to citizenship.
Video of Padilla’s floor remarks is available here.
