Date: Mar 14, 2019
March 14, 2019
Washington, D.C.—LAWG applauds Tuesday’s introduction of the Dream and Promise Act (H.R. 6) by Representatives Clarke, Velasquez, and Roybal-Allard which provides a pathway to citizenship for all Temporary Protected Status (TPS), Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA), and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) recipients. Now, we urge the House of Representatives to immediately pass this bill to provide permanent protection for individuals whose statuses have been terminated by the Trump Administration.
In addition to affording permanent protection, the Dream and Promise Act calls on Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen to provide justification for the termination of a TPS designation, specifically on country condition evaluations. As LAWG has documented, most recently through a report titled Between a Wall and a Dangerous Place and briefing document titled Negative Consequences for ending Temporary Protected Status for U.S. Investments in El Salvador and Honduras, conditions in El Salvador and Honduras remain precarious and the countries are unable to accept and reintegrate large groups of deported individuals.
“The Dream and Promise Act is an important step in recognizing TPS and DED beneficiaries as well as Dreamers for who they are—permanent members of our communities. Providing them with a pathway to citizenship is what they deserve and is morally right. We urge Congress to act quickly and move forward with this important piece of legislation. Doing so would send a strong message to the administration’s cruel and inhumane policies that terminated these protections,” states Daniella Burgi-Palomino, Senior Associate at LAWG.
LAWG has long advocated for these long-standing members of our communities and recognizes the introduction of this bill as a much needed step in the right direction. It not only protects TPS, DACA, and DED recipients, but it does so not at the expense of border and other immigrant communities. Now, we urge the House of Representatives to take the next step in swiftly and decisively passing the Dream and Promise Act.
