H.R.6: American Dream and Promise Act of 2019
Overview
The American Dream and Promise Act would provide a direct pathway to citizenship for undocumented youth and young adults who came to the U.S. as children. For those who qualify, the Act would ensure conditional permanent resident (CPR) status for up to 10 years, protection from deportation, the ability to work legally in the U.S., and the option to travel outside the U.S. To be eligible, participants must have entered the U.S. before the age of 18 and lived continuously in the U.S. for at least four years before the passage of the bill. They also must pass a background check, have no serious criminal record, undergo a medical examination, and pay a fee. Additionally, participants must be currently enrolled in secondary school, have already earned a high school diploma or its equivalent, or prove admittance into an institution of higher learning. Current Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients would automatically receive CPR status.
The new legislation also incorporates language that would allow DACA recipients, often referred to as Dreamers, to access federal financial aid. Currently, policies in many states keep Dreamers from accessing higher education. The American Dream and Promise Act would also secure permanent residency for people with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED).
View Full OverviewTalking Points
- Families are frequently negatively affected by immigration policies that undermine the foundations for well-being. Young people are particularly susceptible to policy choices that create uncertainty about their futures. This leads to toxic levels of stress that disrupt physical, cognitive, and emotional development, and generally weaken the structures that support long-term well-being.
- In the absence of legislative action, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program has allowed young people, many who know no other home than the United States, to come forward, pass background checks, and live and work legally within our communities. This has reduced these young people’s uncertainty about their futures and promoted their social, emotional, and financial growth. Providing legal status to immigrants who already live within the U.S. makes our society more diverse; enriches social, cultural, and civic life; and boosts the economy.
- The National Assembly supports a practical approach to immigration policy that helps all members of our communities thrive. This includes providing a clear pathway to citizenship, as well as the opportunity to access higher education, which fosters everyone’s ability to meaningfully contribute to our communities now and in the future.