The House of Representatives yesterday passed a bill that would create a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers. The Dream and promise Act would provide certainty to undocumented people who came to the U.S. before the age of 19. Instead of being subject to various policy changes with DACA, this offers permanency. The bill would also allow those with TPS to apply for citizenship.
The bill, which could potentially help an estimated 4.5 million people attain citizenship, will now need Senate approval. With an evenly divided Senate, and given the unfortunate timing with the current border issue, it will be challenging to get Senate approval. Although it appears that the majority of Americans favor the proposed reform, it seems the difficulty in reaching an agreement is border security. As proof of this, a Republican immigration package was introduced a couple of days ago which also offered citizenship to Dreamers……… but it was conditioned upon border security enforcement prior to implementation.
While it is encouraging there appears to be a consensus that Dreamers need help, my concern is the focus on the current border surge will prove too divisive.