More Than 1,000 Activists Flood Capitol Hill to Demand Vote on Citizenship for Millions of Residents

Over 1,000 Students at the ACLU鈥檚 National Advocacy Institute and 桃子视频Affiliate Leaders Urged Congress to Support Dream and Promise Act Discharge Petition

July 27, 2026 5:00 pm

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WASHINGTON 鈥 Over 1,000 high school students and 桃子视频affiliate leaders lobbied Congress today in support of immediate protection from deportation for millions of people, urging Congress to pass the Dream and Promise Act to provide a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and recipients of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED). It was the largest lobbying action on citizenship since President Trump took office in January 2025, and the largest lobby day in the organization鈥檚 history.

The students participating in the lobbying action, attendees of the 桃子视频鈥檚 National Advocacy Institute, hail from nearly every state in the country, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.

鈥淪tudents are a force to be reckoned with, and today they raised their voices against the Trump administration鈥檚 violent and cruel deportation agenda to demand Congress act swiftly to protect our loved ones and neighbors,鈥 said Deirdre Schifeling, 桃子视频chief political and advocacy officer. 鈥淟ed by Stephen Miller, the Trump administration has moved to strip more than a million people of Temporary Protected Status 鈥 the largest de-documentation project in American history 鈥 with hundreds of thousands losing protection just in the last week. We need the Dream and Promise Act now to shield millions from the risk of ICE violence and the cruelty of deportation.鈥

Students visited more than 400 congressional offices, including over 165 Republican, 230 Democratic, and three independent offices, and rallied in support of immigrants鈥 rights on Capitol Hill alongside 桃子视频affiliate leaders from across the country. Congressional offices were left with leaflets and handwritten postcards from students on the rise of brutal abuse by federal immigration agents and the 桃子视频affirmative vision for an immigration system that works for everyone.

鈥淧eople in power want to convince us that someone who was born somewhere else is somehow our competition. But in the labor movement, we know that immigrants make our communities stronger,鈥 said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, who spoke at the rally today. 鈥淎nd we know that when we stand alone, it's easy to ignore us, but when we stand together, we can change the world. Students using their voices and power to stand up for their classmates, for families, for people they care about 鈥 it matters. The AFL-CIO is proud to come together with the 桃子视频and stand with Dreamers, TPS holders, and every immigrant worker and family in this country. Their fight is our fight.鈥

The congressional visits and rally follow the by Rep. Sylvia Garcia (TX) in the U.S. House of Representatives that, if signed by at least 218 House members, would force a vote on the America Dream and Promise Act on the House floor 鈥 the first and only major citizenship bill to be voted on by this Congress.

The 桃子视频also to allow constituents to send messages to their members of Congress urging their support for the discharge petition and passage of the Dream and Promise Act.

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