On the 11th anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, a group of bipartisan lawmakers in the House relaunched efforts to provide a legal pathway to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants.

What You Need To Know

  • A group of bipartisan lawmakers in the House of Representatives relaunched efforts to provide a legal pathway to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants

  • At a press conference Thursday, the group of lawmakers from both parties announced the reintroduction of the Dream and Promise Act, a bill aimed at creating a pathway to citizenship for "Dreamers" – undocumented immigrants who were brought to America as children

  • According to a fact sheet obtained by Spectrum News, the Dream and Promise Act would grant "Dreamers" conditional permanent resident status for 10 years and cancel removal proceedings if they have been continuously physically present in the U.S. since on or before Jan. 1, 2021

  • The bill would mandate that in order to gain full lawful permanent resident status, "Dreamers" would have to participate in higher education and secure a degree; they can also complete two years of military service or prove a strong record of employment to be eligible

At a press conference Thursday, the group of lawmakers from both parties announced the reintroduction of the Dream and Promise Act, a bill aimed at creating a pathway to citizenship for "Dreamers" – undocumented immigrants who were brought to America as children. It also includes provisions for those with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) status.

“This is not simply a Democratic issue or a Republican issue," said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. "It shouldn’t be viewed as a partisan issue. Standing with ‘Dreamers,’ standing with TPS recipients, standing with those who deserve a pathway towards citizenship is an American issue. Period. Full stop. America is a nation of immigrants. We are a gorgeous mosaic of people who come to this country from all throughout the world.”

The bill was introduced in the last Congress by then-Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, D-Calif., who retired at the end of her last term. The bill passed the House in 2021 with some Republican support, but it died in committee in the Senate.

“This is a historic solution that would provide overdue protections for ‘Dreamers’ in the United States, protections that more than 70% of Americans support,” said Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, R-Ore. “There are around 28,000 ‘Dreamers’ in my home state of Oregon. Nearly three out of four of them have been in the U.S. since they were at least 13 years old. And almost all of them have been here for well over 10 years.

“During that time, they have made significant contributions to our society and our economy. In fact, a majority of them are working in industries that are currently struggling to fill job openings,” Chavez-DeRemer added.

According to a fact sheet obtained by Spectrum News, the Dream and Promise Act would grant “Dreamers” conditional permanent resident status for 10 years and cancel removal proceedings if they have been continuously physically present in the U.S. since on or before Jan. 1, 2021.

The bill would apply to those who were 18 years old or younger on the initial date of entry into the U.S. and who are not inadmissible on the following grounds: criminal, security and terrorism, smuggling, student visa abuse, ineligibility for citizenship, polygamy, international child abduction or unlawful voting, or former citizens who renounced citizenship to avoid taxation; and have not participated in persecution.

"Dreamers" who graduated from high school and passed a background check would also be protected from deportation.

The bill would mandate that in order to gain full lawful permanent resident status, "Dreamers" would have to participate in higher education and secure a degree or complete at least two years in good standing in a bachelor’s or higher degree program or in an area career and technical education program at a post-secondary level in the United States.

They can also complete two years of military service or prove a strong record of employment to be eligible. 

The DACA program was established through an executive order by President Barack Obama in 2012 and was intended to be a temporary solution to give immigrants who arrived as children a form of legal status that, Obama and others hoped, would eventually be codified by legislation. 

Instead, immigration reform efforts have stalled in the ensuing decade, and no major immigration legislation has made it through Congress since 1986.

“There's so much good that I have because of DACA, and today I celebrate that. But I also have to be honest -- today I celebrate, but I'm also tired,” said Diana Pliego, a DACA recipient and a strategist with the National Immigration Law Center who credits the program with lifting her “entire family out of poverty.” “I'm tired because it has been 11 years, and we are still fighting to keep our ability to work and stay in the country that we call home.

“Today, we have an opportunity to build a future that is brighter for all of us collectively,” Pliego added, addressing the members of Congress. “Hundreds of thousands of immigrant youth are counting on you.”

The rule has faced dozens of legal challenges and an attempted gutting by former President Donald Trump, and it's currently being adjudicated in front of a Texas federal judge appointed by former President George W. Bush.

“Dreamers are Americans," President Joe Biden said in a statement Thursday. "Many have spent the majority of their lives in the United States. They are our doctors, our teachers, and our small business owners. Only Congress can provide permanent and lasting stability for these young people and their families. Congress must act to protect our Dreamers.”