National Immigration Law Center Celebrates House Passage of the Dream and Promise Act

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 18, 2021

CONTACT
Juan Gastelum, [email protected], 213-375-3149

National Immigration Law Center Celebrates House Passage of the Dream and Promise Act

WASHINGTON — In a 228-197 bipartisan vote, the U.S. House of Representatives today passed the Dream and Promise Act. The bill, also known as H.R. 6, would provide a pathway to U.S. citizenship to an estimated 4.4 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S., including immigrant youth and longtime residents with temporary protected status (TPS) or deferred enforced departure (DED).

Marielena Hincapié, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center, issued the following statement:

“At the National Immigration Law Center, we are celebrating the passage of the Dream and Promise Act in the House, and we urge the Senate to meet this critical step with urgency and courageous action. We must enact the Dream and Promise Act quickly as we continue to work to provide a pathway to citizenship for all 11 million undocumented people living in the U.S., as part of our efforts to set our country on a path to a just recovery that lifts us all.

“The Dream and Promise Act would provide long-overdue relief and stability to millions of undocumented immigrant youth and longtime residents whose home is here. Its advancement today with bipartisan support is a testament to the strength and political power our communities have built over years of organizing for justice, including NILC’s own efforts over more than two decades to support and fight alongside immigrant youth so that all of us have the freedom to thrive.

“We are thrilled to see the Dream and Promise Act move forward, and, at the same time, we urge members of the Senate to remove harmful criminalizing provisions in the bill that would compound racial disparities in our legal system. This moment requires that lawmakers act quickly and courageously to address the racial injustices that have long marred our country. That requires that they make this the strongest, most inclusive bill possible and immediately send it to President Biden to sign into law.”

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