House Democrats, With One Republican, Bring Back Pathway to Citizenship Bill

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On Wednesday, House Democrats, led by co-authors Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-TX), Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) and Rep. Yvette Clark (D-NY) reintroduced the American Dream and Promise Act, which would create a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) beneficiaries, according to a media release from Garcia’s office.

The bill has the support of 200 Democratic members of Congress and one Republican, Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL), who is listed as its co-lead, along with Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-CA), Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA), and Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-IL).

“The country has no better opportunity than now to give the hundreds of thousands of Dreamers who have lived among us as friends, families, and members of our communities the dignity they were promised many years ago,” said Salazar. “I am proud to co-lead the American Dream and Promise Act because it’s time for Dreamers and their families to love in the Promised Land as Americans.”

The release also noted that the bill has earned the support of 120 organizations that focus on immigrant rights, Latino communities, labor rights, women’s rights and human rights.

According to the release, the bill, which the House passed in 2021, would achieve the following:

• Protect and grant eligible Dreamers conditional permanent residence for ten years and cancel removal proceedings

• Provide a pathway to citizenship for eligible Dreamers by granting full Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) status

• Provide individuals with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or Deferred Enforcement Departure (DED) with LPR status

• Protect Dreamers and individuals with TPS or DED during their application for relief under the American Dream and Promise Act

• Provide eligible Dreamers with access to federal financial aid

• Allow eligible Dreamers located abroad to apply for relief

• Prevent penalizing states that grant in-state tuition to undocumented students based on residency

“Before his inauguration, President Donald Trump indicated he wanted to work with Democrats to protect Dreamers and that Republicans were open to getting something done on this issue,” the release noted. “Congresswoman Garcia and her colleagues extend an open invitation to President Trump to get this done by passing the bipartisan American Dream and Promise Act of 2025, which the American public strongly supports. Polls have consistently shown the majority of Americans support Republicans and Democrats working together on legislation that would enable Dreamers to earn legal status and eventual citizenship—that legislation is the bipartisan American Dream and Promise Act of 2025.”

The same day the bill was reintroduced, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus live-streamed a Wednesday press conference that featured several Latino Democratic electeds and leaders from the following organizations: UnidosUS, Hispanic Federation, Voto Latino, Mi Familia Vota, America’s Voice, LULAC, Latino Victory, and Aquí.

This is the full text of the bill.

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What We’re Reading

Trump Cuts Venezuela’s Oil Exports: On Wednesday, President Trump announced on Truth Social that it will end oil exports from Venezuela to the United States. That would be mean one thing: Chevron would be impacted.

“Trump's post did not specifically mention California-based Chevron nor the permit, formally known as a general license, that exempts the company from economic sanctions and allows it to export and sale Venezuelan oil in the U.S. But it is the only Venezuela-related license whose issuance and renewal information match the dates Trump did mention in his social media post,” NPR reports.

It also signifies a more U.S. hardline stance against the government of Nicolás Maduro.

About the Author

Julio Ricardo Varela is the founder and publisher of The Latino Newsletter.

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