Washington, DC – Democrats in the House of Representatives today took the first step towards a “permanent” solution for thousands of immigrants protected by various protection programs, including “dreamers” and beneficiaries of Temporary Protected Status (TPS). .
The bill presented this Tuesday would grant a legal access to citizenship to undocumented people protected by the amparo of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Forced Entry (FROM D).
“We need to get a final solution for a problem that is a shame: we have these young people who are Americans in all senses, less on paper, and I can not understand that we do not address this situation,” said Nydia Velázquez, a legislator. , co-author of the law, in the vicinity of the Capitol.
Moments earlier, the other ideologist of the law known as H.R. 6, Lucille Roybal-Allard, stressed in another conference that the legislation has been “one of the ten priorities of the new Democratic majority in the House of Representatives.”
In his speech, Roybal-Allard explained that the law “grants a path to citizenship for dreamers (as DACA beneficiaries are known) who came to the country as minors and who have lived here continuously for the past few four years”.
Among other issues, the law, which will be voted on in the next three weeks, opens the door “to certain” young people who were protected by DACA and who were deported from the country by the Administration of President Donald Trump.
Next to Roybal-Allard was the Speaker of the Lower Chamber, Democrat Nancy Pelosi, who said she was “very proud” to present this law as one of her legislative priorities at the head of her party.
“Democrats are very proud to be here today with the beneficiaries of these programs when we are taking a very important step to protect their future,” Pelosi said.
The initiative. that will be approved in the lower house with total security, must also be authorized by the Senate, with a Republican majority, so that Trump can decide whether or not to accept the proposal.
The scenario in the Upper House, with 53 Republicans and 47 Democrats, is unfavorable for the law to be approved, although some conservative senators could see the legislation with good eyes, according to local media.
“This is a historic moment in the lower house, but in the Senate I recognize that it will be difficult. (…) Some Republican senators have expressed their interest in revising the legislation and we hope to win their vote,” argued Gustavo Torres. , executive director of the Hispanic group CASA Maryland.
For its part, the director of United We Dream, Greisa Martinez, said that after it is approved in the House of Representatives, your organization and others will continue to “press” until the affected community “can live with dignity and prosper.”
Since his arrival at the White House, Trump has tried to suspend the DACA and canceled the TPS for countries such as Haiti, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Honduras, forcing his nationals to choose between seeking other ways to legalize their status, living without documentation or returning to their countries.
The DACA protects its beneficiaries from deportation and in some cases grants them a temporary work permit and allows them to access a driver’s license, benefits that must be renewed every two years.
The TPS was created in 1990 and through it the country grants permits in an extraordinary way to nationals of States affected by armed conflicts or natural disasters.
The DED is similar to the TPS and allows deferring the deportation of people who could be in danger if they are sent to countries where there is political instability or natural disasters. (EFEUSA)
