Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García’s Statement on Introduction of H.R. 6, the Dream and Promise Act
Washington, DC- Today Congressman Jesús "Chuy" García (IL-04) issued the following statement after joining 203 of his colleagues to introduce H.R. 6, the Dream and Promise Act, legislation that would allow more than 2 million Dreamers and individuals with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) to continue to enrich our nation by providing them with a path to citizenship.
"Today is a day of hope and new beginnings for the millions of people who have put their lives on hold for too long. The Dream and Promise Act will provide permanent protections for millions of people, some of whom have been here for decades, raised families, and love our country.
"This legislation will allow people like Bladimir, who moved to our country as a child, to have certainty about his future. After graduating from college, he began teaching citizenship classes and volunteering in citizenship workshops in Chicago. He is now furthering his studies and pursuing a career in the tech industry. But Bladimir still feels anxious about the possibility of having his accomplishments taken away.
"In my district, I see the cultural and economic contributions of immigrant youth and workers every day. They are the opposite of what President Trump describes when he attacks immigrants. They are teachers, students, medical professionals, entrepreneurs and taxpayers. In Illinois, TPS holders and DACA recipients combined contribute $136 million in state and local taxes annually.
"This is the first step to fix our broken immigration system. It is an honor to join my colleagues to co-sponsor the Dream and Promise act to strengthen our country and end President Trump's assault on our families and neighbors."
The Dream and Promise Act would provide a path to citizenship for eligible immigrant youth who entered the U.S. under the age of 18 and who were continuously present in the U.S. for four years prior to the date of the bill's enactment. Dreamers would be provided conditional permanent resident status and would need to fulfill and education, employment or military track to adjust to permanent resident status.
In addition, the bill would secure permanent residency for people with TPS and DED. After 5 years, those permanent residents would be eligible to apply to become citizens. On average, TPS recipients have lived in the U.S. for 20 years. Similarly, DED recipients have lived in the U.S. and contributed to their communities since 2007.