Bill Reintroduced Offering Pathway to Citizenship for Dreamers and TPS Holders, Gaining Support from 201 Members of Congress

On Wednesday afternoon, a group of House members reintroduced legislation that would provide Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders and recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program with a pathway to obtaining a green card.

Congresswomen Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29) and Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07), alongside fellow lawmakers including Representatives Nydia Velázquez (D-NY-07), Yvette Clarke (D-NY-09), Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL-27), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-18), Lou Correa (D-CA-46), Judy Chu (D-CA-28), and Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03), reintroduced the bipartisan American Dream and Promise Act of 2025. This legislation offers a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers—undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children—along with recipients of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforcement Departure (DED) beneficiaries.

The bill, which has garnered support from 201 Members of Congress and nearly 120 organizations, aims to provide permanent protections and a clear route to citizenship for those who have been living in the U.S. for decades. Dreamers, many of whom arrived as young children, have built their lives in the U.S., contributing to its economy and society.

For example, DACA recipients are estimated to have arrived at an average age of six and have lived in the U.S. for over 20 years. Similarly, TPS recipients have been living and working in the U.S. for years, with many having families and careers that contribute significantly to their communities.

The economic impact of these groups is substantial. DACA recipients alone pay approximately $6.2 billion in federal taxes and $3.3 billion in state and local taxes each year. The Center for American Progress estimates that if Dreamers were granted citizenship, the U.S. GDP could grow by $799 billion over the next decade. Additionally, DACA recipients contributed nearly $2.1 billion to Social Security and Medicare in 2022, despite not being eligible for these benefits.

Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia emphasized that Dreamers, although American in every way except on paper, have helped shape the nation and should not be excluded from its story. She said, “Our nation cannot afford to lose the small business owners, the talent, the artists, the aspiring public servants, and the drive that Dreamers bring. If that’s not American, I don’t know what is.”

Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, a long-time advocate for immigrant rights, noted the uncertainty that Dreamers face, particularly in light of previous threats to DACA under former President Trump’s administration. She expressed that the American Dream and Promise Act would offer security and a clear path to citizenship for those who have been contributing to the U.S. for years.

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Other lawmakers echoed similar sentiments, with Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez calling the legislation a “common-sense solution” to provide permanent protections for Dreamers and TPS holders, while Congresswoman Yvette Clarke stressed that Dreamers deserve a pathway to citizenship to help strengthen the country’s economy and uphold the promise of the American Dream.

The American Dream and Promise Act would grant conditional permanent residence to eligible Dreamers for ten years, cancel removal proceedings, and allow them to apply for Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) status. It would also provide the same LPR status to individuals with TPS or DED, protect applicants during the application process, and provide access to federal financial aid for eligible Dreamers. Additionally, the bill would allow Dreamers living abroad to apply for relief and ensure that states that grant in-state tuition to undocumented students are not penalized.

According to the latest report, 7,505 Nepalis now have approved TPS—a significant decrease from the 14,791 who were under TPS in 2017. Nearly 50 percent of Nepalis in the U.S. have transitioned out of Temporary Protected Status and moved to other immigration statuses.

The number of Nepalis with approved TPS dropped from 8,525 in March 2023 to 8,100 in September 2023—a decline over six months. By March 2024, this number fell further to 7,875, and as of September 30, 2024, it stands at 7,505.

According to the report, these figures reflect the number of individuals with an approved TPS application who have not obtained lawful permanent resident (LPR) status or U.S. citizenship. The data may include individuals who have left the country or passed away since their last TPS approval and do not necessarily account for all nationals from the specified countries who are currently in the United States and eligible for the status.

In 2018, the Trump administration sought to terminate TPS for immigrants from El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua, Sudan, Nepal, and Honduras. However, these efforts were blocked due to legal challenges. A lawsuit filed by TPS holders in 2017 and 2018 successfully delayed the termination of TPS for nearly six years.

In 2018, a federal court issued a preliminary injunction, maintaining TPS protections for affected individuals. However, in 2023, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned this injunction.

Representing Nepal in the legal case were lead plaintiffs Keshav Bhattarai and Sajjan Pandey. In June 2023, the Biden administration reversed Trump’s decision to end TPS, extending protections for approximately 300,000 individuals from Nepal, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Around the same time, TPS designations for Haiti and Sudan were also reinstated.

On December 28, 2023, a federal court dismissed the Ramos case, ruling that it was no longer relevant after the Biden administration fulfilled the plaintiffs’ demands by extending TPS deadlines.

In 2023, the Biden administration announced an 18-month extension of TPS for Nepalis until June 24, 2025, reversing the previous administration’s plans to terminate the program.