Here Are 7 DREAMer Stories Nancy Pelosi Shared During Her 8-Hour House Speech

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) speaks during a press conference with Dreamers who will be attending President Trump's first State of the Union Address on January 30, 2018 in Washington, DC. Democratic leaders from both Houses of Congress welcomed the largest group of Dreamers to attend a State of the Union Address. Photo by Pete Marovich/Getty Images News
At 10:04 a.m. on Wednesday, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi made the “magic minute” – a special privilege that allows House Speaker Paul Ryan as well as other top leaders to speak on the floor for as long as they wish – a more than eight-hour tribute to the DREAMers living in the United States.
Since there are no filibusters in the House of Representatives, Pelosi used the magic minute to pressure her colleagues to reach an agreement for recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Last year, President Donald Trump rescinded DACA – a program that has allowed young immigrants to work and attend school, without fear of deportation – and gave Congress until March 5 to find a solution for the nearly 800,000 beneficiaries. Though a federal judge recently blocked the Trump Administration from ending the program, the future of this community of young immigrants remains uncertain.
With Congress now missing two major opportunities to pass legislation for Dreamers, Pelosi held the floor for eight hours and seven minutes, weaving the stories of Dreamers throughout the day. Along the way, she set the record for the longest floor speech in House history, dethroning House Speaker Champ Clark, who gave five hour and 15-minute speech in 1909.
Below, listen to Pelosi reading the stories of seven Dreamers, and urging Congress to act.
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Honored to hear @NancyPelosi share the story of a CO. #Dreamer during her record-breaking speech on the House floor to #ProtectDreamers. My constituent Marco Dorado came to Denver at age three and has thrived as a leader at @CUBoulder and in our community. #GoNancyGo #DreamActNow pic.twitter.com/hfYCrrdvg9
— Rep. Diana DeGette (@RepDianaDeGette) February 7, 2018
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During @NancyPelosi's #DACAbuster, I brought a story from an Alabama DREAMer. Her name is Fernanda, she's a graduate of Gadsden City High who came to the U.S. when she was 2. If this Congress fails to restore DACA, Fernanda's family will be torn apart. We cannot let that happen. pic.twitter.com/cXBjvRocLs
— Rep. Terri A. Sewell (@RepTerriSewell) February 7, 2018
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Thank you, @NancyPelosi, for sharing Diego's story on the House floor today. My guest at the #SOTU, Diego is a #Dreamer and one of 11 million reasons we are fighting so hard for a #DreamActNow. #DACAbuster pic.twitter.com/IKT7lVnydA
— Carolyn B. Maloney (@RepMaloney) February 7, 2018
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Leader @NancyPelosi has been on the House Floor for hours reading stories of #Dreamers. She just read a letter from my SOTU guest Hugo Alexander Acosta Mazariego – a #Dreamer & Pearl River, NY resident – highlighting Hugo’s story & the uncertain future he faces. #GoNancyGo! pic.twitter.com/mZJRN8RsRl
— Archive: Nita Lowey (@NitaLowey) February 7, 2018
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I am proud to stand with @NancyPelosi in support of Dreamers and the DACA program. This evening, Leader Pelosi shared this story of Denia, a Dreamer from our community: https://t.co/WhEPbq2Tcs
— Rep. Mike Thompson (@RepThompson) February 7, 2018