House Passes Immigration Bill – Pathway to Citizenship for Dreamers

Today, March 18, 2021 the House of Representatives passed the American Dream and Promise Act. The Act will provide a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. These include undocumented immigrants brought here as children and for people who are here for humanitarian reasons (Temporary Protected Status, or TPS). The bill excludes individuals who entered the United States after January 1, 2021 (this year). A summary and the full text of the bill can be found at https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/6.

This is a great first step to address the plight of a substantial number of individuals. However, it is still too early to celebrate. The more difficult task is to convince 60 senators to support this Act. The Democratic Party has a simple majority in the Senate, but this doesn’t mean the Senate will pass the Act in its current form. The reality is that if a filibuster is announced by senators opposing the bill, the bill would not be put up for a vote unless 60 senators vote to cease debate (and the filibuster) of the bill. Thus, the bill requires 60 senators’ support the Act. It is also possible the Senate will propose changes to the bill for it to pass.