House Judiciary Democrats Advance Bills to Give Permanent Legal Status to ‘Dreamers’, TPS Recipients

House Judiciary Committee Democrats voted on Wednesday to advance bills that would provide so-called “Dreamers” and recipients of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) with permanent legal status and a path to U.S. citizenship.

The Dream Act (H.R. 2820), sponsored by Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), would grant roughly 3.6 million Dreamers who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children with 10 years of permanent resident status and the opportunity to apply for citizenship after five years if they meet eligibility requirements. That total includes the roughly 800,000 Dreamers who benefited from the Obama administration’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which has so far survived legal challenges during the Trump administration.

The Promise Act (H.R. 2821), sponsored by Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), would give eligible foreign nationals from certain countries who received TPS or Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) the ability to apply for lawful permanent resident status.

The Venezuela TPS Act (H.R. 549), sponsored by Rep. Darren Soto (D-FL), would allow Venezuelans fleeing the crisis brought on by the regime of socialist Nicolas Maduro to receive TPS so they can live and work in America temporarily.

The committee's votes went as follows:

• The Dream Act (H.R. 2820) passed 19-10.
• The Promise Act (H.R. 2821) passed 20-9.
• The Venezuela TPS Act (H.R. 549) passed 20-9.

Having cleared the Judiciary Committee, these bills could be considered on the House floor after lawmakers return from next week’s recess. Whenever the House brings them to the floor, the bills will be combined into the American Dream and Promise Act (H.R. 6).

— Eric Revell

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