Center for Popular Democracy Network's Statement on the Introduction of the Dream and Promise Act

"Last night, Congresswoman Roybal-Allard and Congresswoman Lofgren introduced the Dream and Promise Act. This legislation, if passed, would provide a pathway to citizenship for immigrants who came to the United States as youth and for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) beneficiaries. The introduction of this bill is the result of organizing led by immigration youth, who have built and exercised their power over the last decades. Immigrant youth won temporary reprieve through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, fought over the past four years to preserve it, and are determined to win permanent protections for themselves, their families, and their communities.

Unfortunately, the Dream and Promise Act introduced last night includes harsh criminal bars to relief. Racial justice and police brutality were top issues motivating young voters this past November. These criminal bars, which would layer on top of the many that already exist under current law, are in direct contradiction to the promise that brought people to the polls and does not reflect our values; instead, they further import and entrench the harms of criminalization and over-policing of people of color--disproportionately borne by Black community members--in our immigration system.

We look forward to working with allies in Congress to pass a bill that reflects our values and provides immigrants who came to the United States as youth and TPS beneficiaries a swift and inclusive pathway to citizenship."