Featured Issue: Legalizing and Protecting Dreamers and TPS Recipients

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Following the Trump administration's rescission of DACA and the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for many designated countries, there has been increasing pressure from both Democrats and Republicans to pass a permanent legislation to protect Dreamers and TPS recipients. Americans have long shown overwhelming support for protecting Dreamers - polls have shown that 86 percent of Americans want Dreamers to be able to stay in the country. TPS recipients are integral members of our economy - without them, industries such as construction, restaurants and other food services, and landscaping would experience disruptions that would have serious ripple effects on the economies of several states.

Dreamers and TPS recipients make America a better and stronger nation, and it's time for Congress to pass bipartisan legislation to protect them from deportation and secure them a future as Americans.

• Read about the legislative efforts to protect Dreamers.
• Read the government's announcements and memos from September 5, 2017
• Read about current litigation challenging the rescission of DACA

Legislative Efforts to Protect Dreamers

AILA supports several bills in the 117th Congress that would provide permanent legal status and a path to citizenship for all unauthorized immigrants including Dreamers and recipients of TPS and DED.

• The American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 (H.R. 6)
  
  • Legislation Text and Fact Sheet
  • Latest Actions by Congress on H.R. 6 and List of Cosponsors
• The Dream Act of 2021 (S. 264)
  
  • Latest Actions by Congress on S.264 and List of Cosponsors
• The U.S. Citizenship Act (H.R. 117)
  
  • Senate Legislation Text, Summary and Section-by-Section
  • House Legislation Text, Summary and Section-by-Section
  • Latest Actions by Congress on the U.S. Citizenship Act and List of Cosponsors

For more information on past legislative efforts to protect Dreamers, check out our AILA Policy Brief: How Dreamer Protection Bills Measure Up.

Practice Assistance Resources

• ILRC: DACA
• Practice Alert: USCIS Issues Guidance Implementing DHS Memo "Reconsidering” the DACA Program

Resources for Applicants

• United We Dream/Home Is Here: Top Five Things You Should Know About DACA Being Restored
• NILC: DACA Class Action Lawsuit
• Northwest Immigrant’s Rights Project: Community Advisory Regarding Status of DACA Program
• United We Dream: List of Organizations by State that are Providing DACA Assistance

Government Announcements and Memos Since September 5, 2017

• December 2020 Notice: USCIS Provides Update on DACA Following Court Order Reinstating the Program
• August 2020 USCIS Memorandum: Implementing Acting Secretary Chad Wolfs July 28, 2020 Memorandum, "Reconsideration of the June 15, 2012 Memorandum 'Exercising Prosecutorial Discretion with Respect to Individuals Who Came to the United States as Children"'
• July 2020 DHS Memorandum: Reconsideration of the June 15, 2012 Memorandum Entitled ‘Exercising Prosecutorial Discretion with Respect to Individuals Who Came to the United States as Children’
• July 2020 DHS Press Release: Department of Homeland Security Will Reject Initial Requests for DACA As It Weighs Future of the Program
• September 2017 DHS Memorandum:Rescission of the June 15, 2012 Memorandum Entitled "Exercising Prosecutorial Discretion with Respect to Individuals Who Came to the United States as Children"
• USCIS Information: Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival, Response to January 2018 Preliminary Injunction

Litigation Challenging DACA Rescission

• DACA Recipients File Lawsuit Challenging DACA Rescission (Garcia v. Trump, 9/18/17)
• NAACP Files Lawsuit Challenging DACA Rescission (NAACP v. Trump, 9/18/17)
• California and Three Other States File Lawsuit Challenging DACA Rescission (California v. DHS, 9/11/17)
• University of California Files Lawsuit Challenging DACA Rescission (Regents of the University of California v. DHS, 9/8/17)
• States File Lawsuit Challenging DACA Rescission (New York v. Trump, 9/6/17)
• DACA Recipient Challenges Revocation of DACA Program in District Court (Batalla Vidal et al. v. Baran et al., 9/5/17)
• Maryland District Court Declines to Enjoin Rescission of DACA Program (Casa de Maryland v. DHS, 3/5/18)

Support for Protecting Dreamers

• AILA and Partners Urge Senate Leaders to Extend Work Authorizations to Dreamers – July 14, 2020
• Senators Urge DHS to Reopen DACA for New Applicants –July 14, 2020
• AILA Urges President Trump to Leave the DACA Program in Place – July 11, 2020
• U.S. Conference of Mayors Urges the President and Congress to Protect Dreamers – July 9, 2020
• AILA and Partners Call on DHS and USCIS to Immediately Reinstate DACA – June 23, 2020

Cite as AILA Doc. No. 17072035.