Undocumented youth who were brought to the United States as children, known as Dreamers, and families dependent on Temporary Protected Status (TPS) protections must be given relief from the fear and uncertainty for their future that they have experienced since the Trump Administration rescinded DACA and TPS protections in 2017. While we are encouraged by ongoing litigation efforts and judicial proceedings to protect these families, there must be a permanent solution that only Congress can provide. Therefore, First Focus Campaign for Children applauds today’s introduction of H.R. 6, the Dream and Promise Act of 2019 introduced by Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, Rep. Nydia Velazquez, and Rep. Yvette Clarke.

The Dream and Promise Act would:

  • Provide Dreamers with conditional permanent resident status for 10 years and an extended pathway to gain full lawful permanent residence (LPR) status. Additionally, this bill helps to ensure Dreamers continue to pursue their dreams of becoming productive U.S. citizens through advancing their education via access to federal financial aid and access to professional and commercial licenses.
  • Grants LPR status to individuals with TPS or Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) and provides relief from removal proceeds if the individual was eligible prior to September of 2016. Additionally, this bill requires that the Secretary of Homeland Security provides an explanation of any decision to terminate a TPS designation that includes the quantitative and qualitative methods used to assess the conditions of the designated country.

These families are an intrinsic piece of our modern American story, and we believe that Congress has the responsibility to ensure their safety and well-being. Collectively, Dreamers and TPS recipients have nearly 500,000 U.S. citizen children. As an organization that advocates for the health of all children living in the United States, we believe that it is in the best interests of these children to be free from the toxic fear of being separated from their parents and loved ones.