American Dream and Promise Act of 2025

Bill Number

H.R. 1589

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Immigration

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-02-27: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H884)

Last Updated

2026-07-10T08:06:07Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The American Dream and Promise Act of 2025 aims to provide a pathway to lawful permanent residency (often called a "green card") for certain undocumented immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for extended periods. It focuses on two main groups: individuals who arrived as children (commonly known as Dreamers) and those protected under Temporary Protected Status (TPS, a temporary shield from deportation for people from countries facing crises like war or disasters) or Deferred Enforced Departure (DED, a similar temporary protection). The goal is to allow these groups to stay legally, work, and eventually pursue citizenship, while including safeguards like background checks and limits on eligibility for those with serious criminal records.

Key Provisions

The bill is divided into three titles, outlining eligibility, processes, and support mechanisms.

Title I: Dream Act of 2025

• Eligibility for Conditional Permanent Residency: Applies to individuals who entered the U.S. at age 18 or younger, have lived continuously in the U.S. since entry, and have been physically present since January 1, 2021. They must not have certain criminal convictions (e.g., felonies or multiple misdemeanors) and must meet education or employment criteria, such as having a high school diploma, being enrolled in school, or holding a postsecondary credential.
• Conditional Period: Initial green card status lasts 10 years and can be revoked if eligibility requirements are no longer met (e.g., involvement in persecution or certain crimes). After 10 years, applicants can apply to remove the condition by showing further achievements like completing college, serving in the military for 2 years with an honorable discharge, or working for at least 3 years (with adjustments for students).
• Waivers and Exceptions: Allows waivers for minor inadmissibility issues (e.g., health or fraud grounds) for humanitarian reasons, family unity, or public interest. Provides hardship exceptions for those with disabilities, caregivers, or if removal would cause extreme hardship to U.S. citizen family members. Minors get extra time to meet education requirements and protection from deportation during this period.
• Special Streamlining for DACA Recipients: DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, a 2012 Obama-era program halting deportations for Dreamers) holders can apply without fees if renewing under old rules, and some may get full permanent residency immediately if already meeting end requirements.

Title II: American Promise Act of 2025

• Eligibility for Permanent Residency: Targets nationals from countries with TPS designations as of January 1, 2017, or those eligible for DED as of January 20, 2021, who have lived continuously in the U.S. for at least 3 years and apply within 3 years of the bill's enactment. They must not be inadmissible on major grounds like crimes or security threats.
• Waivers: Similar to Title I, allows waivers for certain inadmissibility issues (e.g., minor crimes or unlawful entry) for humanitarian, family, or public interest reasons, but not for serious criminal convictions that would disqualify them from TPS/DED.
• Clarification on Status: Amends law to confirm TPS/DED holders are treated as "inspected and admitted" for immigration purposes, easing their path to other benefits.

Title III: General Provisions

• Definitions and Processes: Defines key terms (e.g., "disability" per the Americans with Disabilities Act; "institution of higher education" excluding foreign schools). Requires biometric (e.g., fingerprints) and background checks for security and criminal history.
• Protections During Application: Halts deportation for eligible applicants until a final denial; allows work authorization and travel (advance parole) while applications are pending. No numerical caps on green cards granted.
• Fees and Exemptions: Application fees up to $495 for Dreamers or $1,140 for TPS/DED applicants, with exemptions for low-income (under 150% of federal poverty line), minors, foster youth, or those with chronic disabilities. A $25 surcharge funds appointed lawyers for certain appeals.
• Evidence and Review: Lists acceptable documents (e.g., school records, tax receipts, affidavits) to prove identity, presence, and eligibility. Provides administrative appeals and judicial review in federal district courts (de novo review, meaning a fresh look at the case). Allows provisional denials for public safety or gang ties, but with notice, response time (90 days), and court challenges.
• Support Programs: Creates grants for nonprofits to help with applications, education (e.g., English classes, civics), and outreach. Ensures confidentiality of application info (no use for deportations except in limited cases like felonies or fraud). Requires annual reports on denials and approvals.
• Other Rules: Treats expunged convictions (erased from record) as non-existent. Allows withdrawn applications without prejudice to future ones. Secretary of Homeland Security must issue rules within 90 days.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Repeal of State Residency Restrictions: Eliminates Section 505 of the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA), which barred states from offering in-state college tuition to undocumented immigrants. States can now decide residency for higher education benefits based on their own rules.
• Expansion of Relief Pathways: Overrides parts of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to grant permanent residency without conditions for some and exempts these groups from visa quotas. Introduces provisional denial authority for safety/gang risks but with strong due process protections, unlike current discretionary deportation decisions.
• Enhanced Waivers and Bars: Broadens waivers for inadmissibility (e.g., for minor cannabis offenses or civil disobedience) and adds specific bars for felonies, domestic violence (with victim exceptions), and gang activity, while excluding minor traffic or immigration-status-based offenses.
• DACA and TPS/DED Integration: Formalizes and expands DACA-like protections into law, preventing future executive revocation, and clarifies TPS/DED as "admission" for status adjustments—changes not in current temporary programs.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) face increased workload for processing potentially hundreds of thousands of applications, background checks, and appeals, requiring new rules and a grant program (funded through 2036). Courts may see more judicial reviews, with mandated appointed counsel straining resources but funded by surcharges.
• On Citizens and Residents: Eligible immigrants gain work authorization, reducing underground economies and boosting tax contributions (estimated millions in workforce integration). Families avoid separations, and states regain flexibility for education aid, potentially increasing college access and skilled labor. No direct impacts on citizens' benefits, but indirect economic gains from stable communities.
• On International Relations: Minimal direct effects, though it could signal U.S. commitment to humane immigration, affecting ties with TPS countries (e.g., Haiti, El Salvador) by retaining their nationals' contributions without repatriation pressures.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Undocumented Immigrants: Primarily Dreamers (about 800,000 DACA-eligible) and TPS/DED holders (over 700,000 from 16+ countries), who gain legal status, work rights, and deportation protection if eligible.
• Government Entities: DHS/USCIS (processing and rulemaking); Department of Justice (reviews and counsel); states (higher education decisions); Congress (annual reports on implementation).
• Nonprofits and Advocates: Eligible for grants to assist applications, education, and outreach, aiding integration.
• Employers and Educators: Benefit from legal workforce and student access; schools/universities see more enrollees eligible for aid.
• Law Enforcement: Involved in background checks; provisional denials target public safety risks like gangs.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal Implications: Strengthens due process by mandating notices, hearings, affidavits, and de novo judicial review, reducing arbitrary denials under current INA discretion. Exempts from Paperwork Reduction Act for faster rollout but ensures confidentiality to prevent enforcement abuse, with penalties up to $10,000 for violations.
• Constitutional Implications: Aligns with equal protection and due process (5th/14th Amendments) by providing fair hearings and non-discrimination in waivers/exemptions. Restores state autonomy on education (overturning federal overreach), potentially avoiding equal protection challenges for in-state tuition.
• Political Implications: Represents bipartisan compromise on stalled reforms (introduced by over 200 House members, mostly Democrats), addressing DACA/TPS uncertainties post-legal challenges. Could reduce deportation backlogs but spark debates on amnesty vs. merit-based paths; no citizenship fast-track, but treats conditional status as full residency for naturalization after 5 years.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Garcia, Sylvia R. [D-TX-29]

Cosponsors (216)

Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7], Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9], Rep. Salazar, Maria Elvira [R-FL-27], Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-18], Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7], Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3], Rep. Correa, J. Luis [D-CA-46], Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28], Rep. Jeffries, Hakeem S. [D-NY-8], Rep. Clark, Katherine M. [D-MA-5], Rep. Aguilar, Pete [D-CA-33], Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36], Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2], Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1], Rep. Raskin, Jamie [D-MD-8], Rep. DeLauro, Rosa L. [D-CT-3], Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2], Rep. Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [D-VA-3], Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-43], Rep. Pallone, Frank [D-NJ-6], Rep. Neal, Richard E. [D-MA-1], Rep. Smith, Adam [D-WA-9], Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2], Rep. Meeks, Gregory W. [D-NY-5], Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-39], Rep. Larsen, Rick [D-WA-2], Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2], Rep. Himes, James A. [D-CT-4], Rep. Morelle, Joseph D. [D-NY-25], Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2], Rep. Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11], Rep. Espaillat, Adriano [D-NY-13], Rep. Casar, Greg [D-TX-35], Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6], Rep. Leger Fernandez, Teresa [D-NM-3], Rep. Figures, Shomari [D-AL-2], Rep. Sewell, Terri A. [D-AL-7], Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3], Rep. Stanton, Greg [D-AZ-4], Rep. Grijalva, Raúl M. [D-AZ-7], Rep. Thompson, Mike [D-CA-4], Rep. Bera, Ami [D-CA-6], Rep. Matsui, Doris O. [D-CA-7], Rep. Garamendi, John [D-CA-8], Rep. Harder, Josh [D-CA-9], Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10], Rep. Pelosi, Nancy [D-CA-11], Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12], Rep. Gray, Adam [D-CA-13], Rep. Swalwell, Eric [D-CA-14] and 166 more

Recent Actions

• 2025-02-27: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H884)
• 2025-02-26: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-02-26: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-02-26: Introduced in House
• 2025-02-26: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• American Dream and Promise Act of 2025 — issued 2025-02-26 — PDF (55 pages)