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Lucas County Commissioners Urges Ohio’s Congressional
Delegation to Support Passage of the Dream Act Now
Last week, the Lucas
County Commissioners called on Ohio’s Congressional
delegation to protect Dreamers by supporting passage of the
Dream Act now. Dreamers are a generation of nearly 800,000
young adults who came to the United States as children. They
have grown up as Americans, pledging allegiance to our flag,
and have worked side by side with all Americans to build a
more vital nation. Dreamers are homeowners, teachers,
nurses, scientists, valedictorians, and members of our armed
forces; they are our neighbors.
“In Lucas County we make a
compact with all of our children that if they work hard we
will be their champion and support them in achieving the
American Dream, regardless of their gender, ethnicity, or
country of origin,” said Lucas County Board of Commissioner
President Pete Gerken. “In Ohio, we have over 10,600
Dreamers. We have many right here in Lucas County. Today we
are asking our entire Ohio Congressional delegation to help
us keep our promise to our young people and pass the Dream
Act once and for all.”
“Ohio, including Lucas
County’s economic and demographic future is in embracing
diversity in our community, including Dreamers, who
contribute greatly to our economy,” stated Lucas County
Commissioner Carol Contrada. “We should not be breaking up
families, deporting gainfully employed and law-abiding
lifelong residents who may not even remember their countries
of origin or speak the language. We implore the Ohio
Congressional delegation to do the right thing and pass the
Dream Act.”
“It is with a heavy heart
that I know thousands of Ohio’s children would lose their
Dreamer parents and loved ones without the passing of the
Dream Act,” said Lucas County Commissioner Tina Skeldon
Wozniak. “The Board of Lucas County Commissioners implore
the Ohio Congressional delegation to not break families
apart and to keep families strong and together. Pass the
Dream Act.” -more-
If Congress does not pass the Dream Act and shield the
hundreds of thousands of young people who came forward under
the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program,
the effect on the U.S. economy will be devastating. Every
day that Congress delays passage of the Dream Act, 122 young
people lose their DACA status.
In Ohio, by not protecting
Dreamers from deportation and allowing them to continue to
contribute to the economy, it will result in a loss of
nearly $140 million in annual spending power. In Ohio, more
than 91% of our Dreamers have employment and they pay $28.8
million in overall taxes including $14.7 million in state
and local taxes.
As a Welcoming America
member, Lucas County, through the Welcome Toledo-Lucas
County initiative, is part of a growing movement of
communities becoming more prosperous by helping all
residents be able to fully participate in economic, social,
and civic opportunities, including immigrants and refugees.
One in every eight Americans lives in a community in the
Welcoming America network.
About the Welcome
Toledo-Lucas County (TLC) Initiative: Welcome Toledo-Lucas
County (TLC) is a cross-sector initiative working to build a
welcoming and inclusive community for immigrants, refugees,
and people of diverse cultures. Welcome TLC is housed in the
Board of Lucas County Commissioners in partnership with
Toledo LISC, and is governed by a Steering Committee of
community partners. In addition to four working committees
including the recently launched Workforce and Economic
Development Committee, Welcome TLC hosts the annual Toledo
International Film Festival (TIFF) with the historic
neighborhood Ohio Theatre and Event Center and shares data
and local success stories including the 2015 New American
Economy report: New Americans in Toledo: A Snapshot of the
Demographic and Economic Contributions of Immigrants. Learn
more at facebook.com/WelcomeTLC.
About Welcoming America:
Welcoming America is a national non-profit, non-partisan
organization leading efforts to make communities more
vibrant places for all. Launched in 2009, Welcoming America
provides the roadmap and support for communities to become
more inclusive for immigrants and all residents. Learn more
at .welcomingamerica.org.
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