House passes bill offering a path to citizenship for 'DREAMers'

Nancy Pelosi.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

With a vote of 237-187, the House on Tuesday passed the American Dream and Promise Act of 2019, which offers a path to citizenship for more than two million undocumented immigrants, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients.

Under the measure, DACA recipients — also known as "DREAMers" — meeting certain requirements would receive 10 years of legal resident status. After finishing two years of military service or higher education or working for three years, they would be granted permanent green cards. The bill also protects immigrants who have temporary protected status or deferred enforced deportation, granted to people who have left certain countries due to natural disasters or war. Those who have been in the U.S. for at least three years and pass a background check would be able to apply for a green card immediately, and after five years, they could apply for citizenship.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.