House Lawmakers Re-Introduce the American Dream and Promise Act Pushing for Legalization of Dreamers

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Watch the Press Conference here.

On Wednesday February 26^th House lawmakers reintroduced the American Dream and Promise Act of 2025—a bill that would create a legal pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children known as “Dreamers.” The bill would also include beneficiaries of Temporary Protected Status or Deferred Enforced Departure.

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program was first created in 2012 by the Obama administration to protect eligible undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children from deportation, while allowing them to apply for work authorization for temporary, renewable periods.

After a lengthy legal battle, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit allowed the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to continue to accept and process DACA renewal applications and accompanying applications for employment authorization. However, USCIS is prohibited from processing initial requests for DACA.

In a statement accompanying the reintroduction of the bill, Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia, one of its authors said, “Dreamers are American in every way but on paper. For decades, they have contributed to and shaped the fabric of America. Yet, they are currently denied their place in the American story.

Our nation cannot afford to lose the small business owners, the talent, the artists, the aspiring public servants, and the drive that Dreamers bring. If that’s not American, I don’t know what is. The American Dream and Promise Act writes them into the American story—a part that has been missing for too long.”

What It’s About

The American Dream and Promise Act of 2025 would:

Protect and grant eligible Dreamers conditional permanent residence for ten years and cancel removal proceedings
Create a pathway to permanent residency for immigrants with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or Deferred Enforced Departure (DED)
Eligible applicants would be granted protections from deportation while their applications are processing
Allow Dreamers to access federal financial aid benefits
Allow eligible Dreamers residing abroad to apply for relief
Prevent states from being penalized for granting in-state tuition to undocumented students based on residency

Lawmakers believe now is the time for Democrats and Republicans to come together to create a long-term solution for Dreamers to attain permanent residency.

Before taking office, President Donald Trump indicated he would support legal avenues for Dreamers saying, “We have to do something about the Dreamers because these are people that have been brought here at a very young age, and many of these are middle-aged people now. They don’t even speak the language of their country.”

With the reintroduction of the American Dream and Promise Act of 2025, lawmakers are sending a message to President Trump to make good on his promise to give Dreamers the opportunity to earn their legal status.

The good news is that the legislation has received support from 201 members of Congress and is endorsed by 120 organizations. According to the National Immigration Forum, a 2024 survey revealed that 68% of registered voters support legislation that would enable Dreamers to earn legal status and eventually U.S. citizenship.

If passed, this legislation could potentially provide a pathway to citizenship for over five million people across the country.

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