An effort to protect immigrant children who arrived in the U.S. has cleared the House of Representatives Rules committee. The suggested policy referred to as the ‘Documented Dreamer’ proposal protects qualifying individuals from aging out of their immigration statuses. The proposal is heading to the House for a vote.

The Rules Committee reviewed hundreds of proposals from the National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal year 2023. With the approval of the Committee, a bipartisan group of lawmakers has been approved to add the proposal to the spending bill. The proposal calls for individuals arriving in the U.S. as children to their parents’ visas to continue receiving immigration status from the guardians’ immigration status even after they reach the adult age of 21. Currently, if these individuals are not able to gain an immigration status on their own, they face deportation.

If included in the final spending bill, over 200,000 individuals will be affected. These individuals would not age out of their immigration status due to reaching age 21. As such, they can remain in the U.S. while pursuing their individual immigration status.

Currently, individuals who apply for green cards prior to turning 21 do not lose their immigration status while their filing is being considered, per the Child Status Protection Act. However, individuals who were not able to find a sponsor for a green card prior to turning 21 would be protected from losing their immigration status under the proposal.

This documented dreamer policy is an additional effort to address the U.S. immigration process. Like others before it, including legislation previously passed by the House that would create a pathway to citizenship for immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as children of long-term visa holders, it’s likely to face an uphill battle to move forward. Several individual bills addressing immigration have not moved forward.

We continue to monitor ongoing proposals and efforts to pass legislation that provides new options for immigrants. If you have questions about any immigration-related status, contact us at ILBSG. Our extensive experience and client dedication ensures you get the right advice.

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