Updated March 22 for clarity.
The House of Representatives just passed two sensible immigration bills! The American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 passed with 228 votes and the Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2021 Passed with 247.
It is great to see that the House passed both of these bills with bipartisan support! TxSIP is urging all US Senators to follow their lead and pass these bills into law now!
American Dream and Promise Act of 2021
Many of the people who could earn “permanent legal status” under the American Dream and Promise Act have been in the US for over ten years and are educated with college degrees. Many are already vetted and are working and paying taxes. However, their legal status is at risk due to a federal court case threatening the DACA program. Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) holders also have dates at which their temporary status is set to expire. This legislation will solve those problems.
A lot of conservative talk show hosts including Newsmax and Fox are trying to tell you to oppose all immigration legislation and they are criticizing it as if it is part of the open border mess. This legislation has nothing to do with the border. Those opposing this legislation are calling it “amnesty”.
Does this sound like amnesty? The bill provides for ten years of conditional legal status for up to 4,438,000 DREAMers, TPS holders, and immigrants with DED. After obtaining conditional status, these folks could apply for permanent legal status, and only five years after obtaining permanent status would they be eligible to apply at the back of the line for citizenship. With an estimated processing time of 1.5 years per change of status, it would take 9.5 years for the most proactive applicants to obtain citizenship. Applicants will be required to pass background checks, submit biometric data to be positively identified, remain in good legal standing, and prove they have paid taxes on earned income.
Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2021
The Farm Workforce Modernization Act would create a conditional method for unauthorized immigrant agricultural workers to earn five-year renewable work visas with the option to earn permanent legal status after working in agriculture for eight years. It would also improve the H-2A visa program and would establish an improved mandatory E-Verify system nationwide for the agricultural industries. Making sure our farmers and food producers have the legal workforce they need to feed our great nation is a national security issue, plain and simple.
Presidents W. Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden have all asked Congress to pass a “dream act” or legislative solution for DACA and the DREAMers. Passing legislation to provide these folks with a method to earn permanent legal status should be a no brainer at this point! I am urging my Republican friends to help pass these bills! Stop kicking the can down the road.
Please contact your senators and tell them to vote yes on the American Dream and Promise Act and the Farm Workforce Modernization act.
Contact Senator John Cornyn here.
Contact Senator Ted Cruz here.
God bless you, and may He keep America safe!