AILA Welcomes Bipartisan Dream Act of 2021; Calls on Congress to Take Action on This and Other Necessary Immigration Legislation

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) welcomed the introduction of the Dream Act of 2021, a bipartisan bill authored by Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC). The Dream Act of 2021 would provide young people who were brought to this country as children and grew up in the United States the opportunity to apply for lawful permanent resident status and eventually citizenship, if they meet certain requirements.

Jennifer Minear, AILA President, welcomed the effort, saying, "Poll after poll has shown tremendous bipartisan support for Dreamers and for reforms that will put them on the path to permanent status, and ultimately citizenship, in the only country they call home. While Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) has given many young, talented, and contributing members of our communities a temporary reprieve from deportation, the limited safety and security it offered cannot confer the stability that permanent legal status does. Each one of these individuals is a living affirmation of the American Dream and our nation’s most deeply held values. Just like all of us, Dreamers seek a better life, a better education, a chance to work, and to live free from fear.

AILA Executive Director Benjamin Johnson stated, "It is a welcome sight indeed to see Senators Durbin and Graham again set aside partisan politics and do the right thing. For nearly two decades now, an overwhelming majority of the public has agreed that the Dreamer population is an integral part of our country and that they deserve a chance to build their lives here. DACA was a first step in that process, but it is not a permanent solution. We call on Congress to pass this bill as a step forward toward legalization of the undocumented, and the many other necessary changes to our immigration laws our country requires. In addition to the Dream Act, AILA will also be advocating for passage of President Biden’s immigration reform bill and other proposals that legalize all people who have been living in the United States for years and are contributing to the strength and prosperity of the nation."

Cite as AILA Doc. No. 21020437.