Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., delivered a marathon speech last week in defense of “Dreamers,” the young undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children who Democrats and some Republicans are pushing to give permanent legal status.
In an unusual move by a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, the House minority leader conducted the equivalent of a Senate filibuster, speaking and reading—for eight straight hours—about Dreamers. Pelosi’s speech unfolded as Republicans in Congress hustled to pass legislation to avert a government shutdown.
Pelosi and other Democrats had vowed to vote against a budget deal unless Republicans agree to protect DACA—Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals—recipients from deportation. Later in the week, Congress reached an agreement on a budget without addressing immigration.
Some 9,000 teachers in U.S. public schools are protected by DACA, and millions of U.S.-born students are the children of undocumented immigrants, many of whom are DACA recipients.
