A new poll commissioned by the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of West Virginia and released publicly today shows nearly two-thirds of voters in West Virginia support the Dream Act, which would provide a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants whose parents brought them to the United States as children. A majority of West Virginia voters also support a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who work in “frontline” industries during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ACLU will also be running mobile billboards outside Senator Joe Manchin’s offices in Martinsburg (Wednesday), Charleston (Thursday), and Fairmont (Friday).
Senator Manchin recently expressed support for the Dream Act, stating that “we have children that came here that have no other home but America. There should be a pathway for that, for our Dreamers.”
“These findings confirm what we hear from people every day across the state: West Virginians agree with Senator Manchin that Dreamers should be able to live their lives without fear of being deported away from their families, jobs, and communities,” said Jackie Lozano, ACLU-WV immigrants’ rights campaign. “Every day Congress doesn’t act is another day that young people live in fear of being deported from the only country they’ve ever called home. The Senate has an obligation and an urgent mandate to provide certainty and opportunity for Dreamers and create stronger, more prosperous communities for all West Virginians.”
The House of Representatives passed the American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 in March.
“The American people overwhelmingly support citizenship legislation because it will strengthen our communities and protect millions of our neighbors, loved ones and co-workers who are Americans in all but name,” said Naureen Shah, senior advocacy and policy counsel for the ACLU. “The Dream Act is a crucial first step that will make a life-changing difference for DACA-recipients who have endured years of uncertainty and legal limbo. Now is the time for members of Congress like Senator Manchin to listen to their constituents, uphold our values, and pass citizenship legislation that will benefit our country for generations to come.”
Among the findings of the poll, which was conducted by YouGov:
- 64 percent of West Virginia voters support providing Dreamers a pathway to citizenship and protection from deportation.
- 56 percent of West Virginia voters support a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who work in “frontline” industries, such as first responders, health care providers, and grocery store employees, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A memo summarizing the poll results is available here.