Shaheen Statement Following Senate Vote on Bipartisan Immigration Agreement

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) issued the following statement after the Senate failed to pass a critical bipartisan amendment that would provide protection for DREAMers and strengthen border security:

“The agreement we voted on was the product of good faith bipartisan discussions and would have allowed Dreamers a pathway to citizenship so that they no longer have to live in fear of deportation,” said Shaheen. “I’m disappointed that, because of President Trump’s erratic and inconsistent positions on this issue, this agreement did not receive enough support to move forward in the Senate. It’s critically important that the Senate provide a pathway forward to protect Dreamers which is why I’ll continue my efforts across the aisle to find common ground.”   

Shaheen is an active participant of the Common Sense Caucus and helped negotiate the immigration agreement, following weeks of bipartisan meetings and discussion. The amendment included an important provision that would have directed the Department of Homeland Security to prioritize criminals and public safety threats over law-abiding residents, which could benefit members of the New Hampshire Indonesian community who have been targeted by the Trump administration’s broad immigration policies. The Common Sense Caucus previously helped negotiate the bipartisan budget deal, which included a robust response to the opioid epidemic.