Protesters hold sit-in to demand DREAM Act make it in spending bill

<p>Protesters held a sit-in at Sen. Chuck Schumer's office in Peekskill Tuesday to demand that Democratic members of the House and Senate use their leverage to include the DREAM Act in the pending budget bill.</p>

News 12 Staff

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Dec 5, 2017, 5:51 PM

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Updated 2,554 days ago

Protesters held a sit-in at Sen. Chuck Schumer's office in Peekskill Tuesday to demand that Democratic members of the House and Senate use their leverage to include the DREAM Act in the pending budget bill.

The so-called dreamers say they need the spending bill to pass, but only if the DREAM Act is included so they can renew their status.

DACA offers protected status to undocumented youth who came to the United States as children. Many dreamers say they fear deportation unless DACA is included in the new spending bill.

Congress must pass a budget bill by Friday or the government will shut down. This bill has historically needed Democrats to pass.

Marisol Santiago, who left Mexico and came to the U.S. as a young girl, says her status in the United States depends on DACA.

"If this is not voted, I'll lose my status, I won't be able to drive anymore, more difficult to work, so I need for him to stand with us," says Santiago.

The fight to keep undocumented children in the U.S. is becoming a large hurdle in avoiding a government shutdown. President Donald Trump and Senate Republicans have said they would oppose a deal on DACA.

A spokesperson for Sen. Schumer told News 12 that “there is good bipartisan support and we believe DREAM will get done by the end of the year."

Currently, around 800,000 people in the U.S. are in the DACA program.

Schumer will meet with President Trump on Thursday to discuss long-term funding goals, including DACA.