NEW YORK, N.Y., January 18, 2017—Teach For America today released the following statement on the BRIDGE Act:

“Teach for America recruits, develops and supports a growing, diverse network of leaders who expand opportunity for children in classrooms, schools, school systems and every field and sector that shapes them. Therefore, we support the BRIDGE Act’s extension of legal protections to more than 750,000 young people brought to this country as children. A bipartisan, bicameral proposal introduced in the Senate by Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Dick Durbin (D-IL), and in the House by Congressmen Mike Coffman (R-CO-06) and Luis Gutierrez (D-IL-04) and supported by a number of Members from both parties, the BRIDGE Act reflects the bipartisan desire to address the challenges in our country’s immigration system.

“Teach For America supports the BRIDGE Act because individuals brought to this country as children should be able to pursue an education safely without fear of deportation, and create a path to contribute to American society through achievement in education. The BRIDGE Act is a temporary fix, however, and we remain committed to supporting a long-term solution for Dreamers. Since 2013, Teach For America and the communities where we work have benefited from the extraordinary talent and commitment of more than 140 leaders who were brought to our country as children that have joined our teaching corps. They are role models to the thousands of children they teach and they are the future leaders in the movement to expand opportunity for all children.  

“Jaime Ballesteros (Los Angeles Corps ‘14), a seventh grade science teacher, moved with his family from the Philippines as a child and earned a degree from Drew University. Jose Gonzalez (Los Angeles Corps ‘14), a sixth grade math teacher  whose family brought him to the United States from Mexico at age two, earned his college degree from University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business. They impact numerous students as STEM teachers and support and inspire their undocumented students navigating the same challenges they did as young people.”