Last month, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that would provide a pathway to citizenship for the 2.5 undocumented immigrants who were brought into the country as children. The House approved the bill in a 228-197 vote, largely along party lines with nine Republicans voting in support of the measure as well.
The Future of Dreamers in the U.S.
Currently, there is no process in place that allows “Dreamers” to qualify for citizenship. For context, Dreamers are those who are protected by Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which was implemented by former President Obama and temporarily protects young documented immigrants from deportation.
The bill, which is called the American Dream and Promise Act of 2021, would grant conditional permanent resident status for 10 years and cancel removal proceedings if people meet certain requirements, which include:
- Being present in the U.S. on or before January 1, 2021
- Being 18 years or younger on the date of initial entry into the U.S.
- Not having been convicted of crimes such as domestic violence, sexual assault or human trafficking
After this bill was passed, the House came back with a passing of a second measure, called the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which would also create a system for about one million undocumented farmworkers to obtain citizenship.
It is unclear whether the Senate will vote in favor or against the bill. However, it will most likely be an uphill battle getting it passed as the Senate is a Republican majority.
At Maney | Gordon | Zeller, P.A., our full-service immigration legal team is committed to helping Dreamers and all immigrants pursue their American Dream. Whether you need assistance taking the first step or want more information before beginning the process, we will always take your best interests to heart.
Contact our firm at (800) 708-4399 to schedule your free case review. We also provide services in services in Spanish, Portuguese & Thai.
