Democratic presidential contender Kamala Harris is leading the charge to lift the ban that keeps Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients from working on Capitol Hill.

'The giant sign outside my office says 'DREAMers Welcome Here' because we know and value the contributions that these young people have made to their communities. But right now, those same young people are banned from giving back to their country by working for Congress. That has to change,' she said in a statement Wednesday.

'Government works best when it reflects the people it represents. Our nation's DREAMers are some of our best and brightest, and it's time they had the opportunity to get a job or paid internship on Capitol Hill,' the California Democrat said.

Under current law, paid employment in the House and Senate is limited to those who are either U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents - more commonly referred to as 'green card holders' - who have started the naturalization process.

Democratic presidential contender Kamala Harris is leading the charge to lift the ban that keeps Dreamers from working on Capitol Hill

Under U.S. law, only citizens or those in the naturalization process can work on Capitol Hill

Harris has been courting the Latino vote as part of her strategy of weaving together various Democratic constituencies to win the 2020 presidential nomination.

Harris, the daughter of immigrants from Jamaica and India, has campaigned in the Latino-heavy states of Nevada and Texas.

At her events, she also encourages questions in Spanish as she has a translator present - all of which are seen as moves to combat fluent Spanish-speaker Beto O'Rourke in his bid to become the Democratic nominee.

Other contenders are also courting Latinos.

On Tuesday, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro became the first candidate in the Democratic field to unveil a detailed immigration plan. His proposal would offer a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers.

Harris, along with Democratic Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada and Dick Durbin of Illinois, introduced on Wednesday The American Dream Employment Act that would make the so-called Dreamers eligible for congressional employment.

The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives by Democratic Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick of Arizona, where it has 57 bipartisan co-sponsors.

The children of Dreamers in Philadelphia in January

The status of Dreamers in the United States is in limbo, as President Donald Trump ended the President Obama-era DACA policy and Congress has not acted to permanently protect DACA recipients.

Court decisions have kept the program in place.

Trump's threat to close the border and harsh rhetoric toward immigrants has caused many Latino voters to feel vilified by the president.