'American Dream, Promise Act' Snubbed By Rep. Calvert

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — A U.S. House bill passed Thursday that aims to allow U.S.-raised immigrant youth known as “Dreamers” to become American citizens received pushback from a Southwest Riverside County lawmaker.

H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act, passed in the House, 228-197. Nine Republicans voted with Democrats in support.

Rep. Ken Calvert (CA-42), whose district stretches across most of Southwest Riverside County, said in a released statement that undocumented children brought to America and raised here should be allowed to remain and become U.S. citizens, but the GOP lawmaker called H.R. 6 "flawed" and too broad.

"Instead of focusing on the undocumented children who have been here for years, the Democrats’ bill gives green cards to young adults who illegally entered our country as recently as late last year," Calvert said. "By granting amnesty to such a wide range of undocumented immigrants the bill would provide incentives for more illegal immigration, and worsen our crisis at the border."

On March 3, Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-40) reintroduced H.R. 6. The Democratic congresswoman's district encompasses largely Hispanic communities in suburban Los Angeles.

The bill proposes to provide Dreamers with conditional permanent resident status for 10 years, and would cancel deportation proceedings if certain criteria are met, including being 18 years old or younger upon arrival in the U.S. and being present in the U.S. since at least Jan. 1, 2021. Applicants must also graduate from high school, obtain a GED or industry-recognized credential, or be in a program working toward a diploma or GED, or in an apprenticeship program.

Any person convicted of a federal or state felony offense, or three or more misdemeanor offenses (excluding certain cannabis misdemeanors), or a single misdemeanor domestic violence offense is ineligible to apply under the legislation. However, the bill does allow waivers in misdemeanor cases for "family unity" and "humanitarian purposes."

In order to become a permanent resident, Dreamers would be required to complete at least two years of college or a technical education program in the U.S.; or, complete at least two years of U.S. military service with an honorable discharge; or be employed for at least three years, with employment authorization at least 75 percent of that time.

In addition to Dreamers, the legislation includes protections and a path to citizenship for Temporary Protected Status recipients and Deferred Enforced Departure beneficiaries.

"Dreamers did not knowingly violate our immigration laws, they make positive contributions in our communities, and many have only ever called the United States home," Calvert acknowledged.

But he said the legislation "is yet another chapter in a long history of Democrats’ politicization of our immigration problem," and he called on the Senate to "incorporate the necessary changes to clean up the bill."

Calvert predicted H.R. 6 will fail to become law.

"House Democrats are advancing bills that will not pass in the Senate and will not provide any real relief for Dreamers," he said.

Roybal-Allard said the reintroduction of H.R. 6 comes "as momentum continues to build for long-overdue immigration reform."

The congresswoman called H.R. 6 part of President Joe Biden’s U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021, which provides a path to citizenship for all "qualified, hardworking immigrants who contribute to our country ... . The reintroduction of H.R. 6 is part of the strategy to further prioritize efforts to secure permanent citizenship for Dreamers, TPS recipients, and DED beneficiaries alongside the larger immigration bill."

The bill received glowing support from Democratic Congressman Raul Ruiz (CA-36), whose Riverside County district stretches across the San Gorgonio Pass and Coachella Valley.

"The Dream and Promise Act will make an incredible, positive difference for our nation," said Rep. Raul Ruiz (CA-36). "It is precisely now during a pandemic when we need this legislation."

Read the full text of H.R. 6 here.

Read Calvert's full statement here.

Read Roybal-Allard's full statement here.

Read Ruiz's full statement here.