HIAS Statement on Dream Act and Secure Act

SILVER SPRING, Md. -- This week, the bipartisan Dream Act of 2019, co-sponsored by Senators Lindsey Graham and Dick Durbin, and the Secure Act of 2019, co-sponsored by Senators Chris Van Hollen and Benjamin Cardin, were introduced in the Senate. Together, these bills, if passed, would provide a pathway to citizenship for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) recipient holders. These two bills in the Senate follow the introduction of the Dream and Promise Act of 2019 in the House of Representatives.

DACA, TPS, and DED are temporary forms of legal status and offer no available path to U.S. citizenship.

In response to the introduction of these bills, Melanie Nezer, HIAS’ Senior Vice President for Public Affairs, said: “It is time for people with TPS, DED, and DACA to be recognized for who they really are: Americans.”

Nezer continued, “People who live with these kinds of temporary legal status are our neighbors, coworkers, classmates, and friends, and they are living with great uncertainty and fear, as the administration has tried to end these programs over the past two years. HIAS urges Congress to pass these bills and provide hope and security to thousands of people who have built their lives in the United States.”

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