American Dream and Promise Act 2019: Bill Summary

A summary of the American Dream and Promise Act of 2023 may be found here.

Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-California) introduced the American Dream and Promise Act of 2019 (H.R. 6) on March 12, 2019 with 202 original cosponsors. The bill would provide Dreamers, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders and individuals with Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) with protection from deportation and an opportunity to obtain permanent legal status in the United States if they meet certain requirements. The bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives on June 4, 2019 by a 237 to 187 vote, with seven Republicans joining the 230 Democrats who were present in support of the legislation.

Protections in the American Dream and Promise Act would allow nearly 700,000 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, as well as another 1.6 million eligible Dreamers brought to America as children, to stay in the U.S. The bill’s protections would also allow over 300,000 TPS holders and up to 3,600 individuals with DED to have the opportunity to remain in the country.

Protections for Dreamers

  • The American Dream and Promise Act would create a “conditional permanent resident” status valid for up to 10 years that would protect Dreamers – including DACA recipients – from deportation, allow them to work legally in the U.S. and permit them to travel outside the country.
  • To qualify for “conditional permanent resident” status, Dreamers would need to meet the following requirements:
    • Establish that they came to the U.S. before the age of 18 and have continuously lived in the U.S. for at least four years before the bill’s enactment;
    • Demonstrate they have been admitted to an institution of higher education, earned a high school diploma or an equivalent in the U.S., or are currently in the process of earning a high school diploma or an equivalent;
    • Pass government and background security checks, submit biometric and biographic data, demonstrate good character with no felony or multiple misdemeanor convictions, and register for the Selective Service (if applicable); and
    • Pay an application fee.
  •  DACA recipients and other DACA-eligible Dreamers who still meet the requirements needed to obtain DACA would automatically qualify for “conditional permanent resident” status.
  • Recipients of “conditional permanent resident” status could apply to become lawful permanent residents (LPRs or green-card holders) as soon as they meet the following conditions:
    • Complete one of the following three tracks:
      • Graduate from a college or university, or complete at least two years of a bachelor’s or higher degree program in the U.S. (education track);
      • Complete at least two years of honorable military service (military track); or
      • Have worked for a period totaling at least three years and, while having valid employment authorization, have worked at least 75 percent of the time that they had such authorization. Periods in which individuals were enrolled in school without working while having valid employment authorization would not count against them (worker track);
    • Maintain continuous residence in the U.S.;
    • Demonstrate an ability to read, write and speak English and an understanding of American history, principles and form of government;
    • Pass government background and security checks, submit biometric and biographic data, and demonstrate good character with no felony or multiple misdemeanor convictions; and
    • Pay an application fee.
  • Dreamers could apply directly for LPR status if they meet both the requirements to receive “conditional permanent resident” status and to adjust to LPR status.
  • The bill would pause the deportation proceedings for Dreamers if they are eligible for “conditional permanent resident” status. It would also prevent deportation proceedings for young Dreamers under the age of 18 if they meet the requirements for “conditional permanent resident status” except that they are not yet enrolled in high school or an equivalent.
  • The bill would allow the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary to provisionally deny an application for conditional permanent resident status if the Secretary determines “based on clear and convincing evidence” that the individual is a public safety concern or participated in a gang within the preceding five years. The bill establishes a process to provide judicial review of the Secretary’s decision.
  • Recipients can lose conditional permanent resident status at any time if they commit a serious crime or fail to meet the other requirements set forth in the bill.

Protection for TPS Holders and DED Recipients

  • The American Dream and Promise Act would allow TPS holders and individuals with DED to adjust to LPR (green-card holder) status if they meet the following requirements:
    • Establish they have lived continuously in the U.S. for at least three years before the bill’s enactment;
    • Demonstrate they were eligible for or had TPS on September 25, 2016, or had DED as of September 28, 2016;
    • Apply within three years of the bill’s enactment and meet the admissibility requirements for LPRs; and
    • Pay an application fee.
  • The bill would protect TPS holders and TPS-eligible individuals from El Salvador, Guinea, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen, as well as individuals with DED from Liberia.
  • The bill would cancel deportation proceedings for TPS holders and individuals with DED if they are eligible for LPR status under the bill’s protections.
  • The bill would clarify that under current law an individual with TPS is considered inspected and admitted into the U.S. This provision would permit future TPS recipients to adjust to LPR status under certain circumstances, including when they marry a U.S. citizen.
  • The bill would permit TPS holders and TPS-eligible individuals who were deported or who voluntarily departed the U.S. on or after September 25, 2016 to apply for LPR status if they meet certain requirements, including having lived in the U.S. continuously for at least three years and having been deported solely because they were present in the U.S. after the expiration of their TPS status or, in the case of a voluntary departure, departed because of the DHS Secretary’s decision to end TPS designation for their country.
  • The bill would also permit individuals with DED who were deported or departed on or after September 28, 2016 to apply for LPR status if they meet certain requirements, including having lived in the U.S. continuously for at least three years and having been deported solely because they were present in the U.S. after the expiration of their DED status or, in the case of voluntary departure, they departed because of the DHS Secretary’s decision to end DED designation for their country.
  • The bill would require DHS to provide a report on future decisions to terminate TPS designations, including an explanation of any progress made by a country to resolve the issues that led to the TPS designation and the methods used by DHS to determine whether the country’s conditions have improved.

Other Provisions

  • The American Dream and Promise Act would prevent DHS from deporting an individual who appears to be eligible for the bill’s protections or has a pending application.
  • The bill would create a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) grant program for nonprofit organizations to screen and assist individuals apply for “conditional permanent resident” status or LPR status under the bill.

Additional Resources

Related Topics

The Undocumented

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