If Congress doesn’t pass a spending bill for the government by Friday, the government will shut down.
One sticking point between the parties is whether the bill should stop the deportation of about 700,000 immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children.
“What do we want? Dream Act. When do we want it? Now,” yelled protesters as they marched on Woodward in Detroit calling for action.
The protesters say they want legislation to protect immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children. The issue is coming to a head this week in Washington D.C. as lawmakers debate a policy known as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.
Former President Barack Obama put DACA in place in 2015 with the goal of giving innocent children a path to citizenship. Obama called those children dreamers.
President Donald Trump says the former president didn’t have the right to create the program without congressional approval and wants to end it in March.
The president’s staff has said if a wall is funded in the budget, perhaps there could be a compromise.
"What we cannot have is an unprotected, unsecured southern US border,” said John Kelly, White House Chief of Staff.
"I didn't run for the Senate to shut the government down, but we need to get the DACA and Dream Act done this week,” said Dick Durbin/(D) Illinois.
The march went to the Chrysler House where a group of dreamers went up to Sen. Debbie Stabenow’s office to make sure their stories are known by those making decisions in Washington.
“It feels like we are being used as political pawns, as chess pieces and that is not what we are. We are people,” said Juan Gonzalez.
Gonzalez says his dad came to United States on a work visa, and brought him with him. He was 1 year old. DACA has protected him allowing him to legally work and live in the only country he knows.
“I am an American. There is no way around that,” said Gonzalez.
