Washington, D.C. — Today, in a bipartisan vote, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act, 237 to 187. H.R. 6 offers a path to citizenship to Dreamers and beneficiaries of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED). The passage of the Dream and Promise Act marks the first major action taken by the House to protect Dreamers since 2010.
Following today’s vote, Neera Tanden, president and CEO of the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:
Today’s vote is nothing short of historic. With the passage of the American Dream and Promise Act, the House has laid out a bold, progressive vision for protecting immigrant communities and American families throughout the country. It also issued a sharp rebuke to the cruel and divisive immigration policies of the Trump administration. The American Dream and Promise Act will put 2.5 million Dreamers and TPS and DED beneficiaries on a pathway to citizenship. The average Dreamer arrived in the United States at age 8, while the average TPS beneficiary has been in the country for 22 years. Dreamers and TPS recipients are part of the fabric of our country; they are our family members and friends; and they are drivers of our economy. Together, they contribute $27.1 billion annually in federal, state, and local taxes.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is leading on positive, inclusive immigration reform by making the American Dream and Promise Act a major legislative priority as soon as the Democrats resumed the House majority this year. H.R. 6 presents a bold vision of what Congress can do when it chooses families and communities over hatred and separation. The bipartisan support for H.R. 6 shows that people from across the political spectrum understand the importance of protecting Dreamers as well as TPS and DED recipients. The Trump administration’s failed and cruel immigration policies are repudiated with today’s vote—as are its failed past attempts to pass immigration measures laden with anti-immigrant priorities. We urge the U.S. Senate to take up and pass the American Dream and Promise Act immediately.
For more information or to speak to an expert, contact Julia Cusick at [email protected] or 202-495-3682.