Instead of building walls, we must build bridges. Passing comprehensive immigration reform will grow the Texas economy—it will mean more small business startups and more graduating students. In terminating the Deferred Action Child Arrival (DACA) program, Donald Trump and Republicans have only viewed Dreamers as bargaining chips to impose other anti-immigrant proposals. I stand with our Dreamers, many of whom know America as their only home. President Trump's heartless deportation measures only tore families apart and hurt local law enforcement's ability to fight crime. This way of thinking will not make America great or safe. Instead, we should work together to fix our immigration system.

That is why I am a sponsor of the American DREAM Act, which would create a path to lawful permanent residence and eventually U.S. citizenship for those that meet a set of educational or work criteria. I raised this directly with President Trump during his tenure in the White House. I opposed any end-of-the-year appropriations bill that lacked full protection for our Nation's Dreamers, and will continue to do so under a Biden Administration.

Our Nation, founded by immigrants who established religious freedom as a bedrock principle, is better than this. We must keep the torch lit on the commitment expressed by the Statue of Liberty, and keep our promise to minister to the tired, the poor, the huddled masses yearning to breathe free.