Rep. Payne, Jr. Votes to Provide Path to Legal Resident Status for Dreamers and Farm Laborers

Media Contact: Patrick Wright -- Patrick.Wright@mail.house.gov

Washington, D.C. — Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr. voted for two bills today to modernize and reform our immigration system, a move he has fought to accomplish since 2009. The first bill, the American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 (H.R. 6), allows Dreamers, undocumented immigrants under 18 years old who were brought to the United States as children, become legal residents. The second bill, the Farm Workforce and Modernization Act (H.R. 1603), makes agricultural workers legal residents for at least three years and clarifies the process for employers to hire farm labor.

"Immigrants have built this country from the very beginning," said Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr. "The children and workers affected by these bills are Americans in every way but their status. They live, go to school, and pay bills here. The legislation we passed today will help them fulfill their dream to become American citizens. I am proud that the American Dream bill includes immigrants who have Temporary Protected Status and Deferred Enforced Departure status. I have worked for years to get them a pathway to citizenship in our country. These are immigrants who want to become legal residents of the country they love."

The American Dream and Promise Act establishes a path to lawful permanent resident (LPR) status for Dreamers, who have lived in the U.S. for most of their lives. It establishes a similar pathway for people who have held either Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) status. These are immigrants who have lived in the United States for much of their lives, often with work authorization and temporary protections against deportation. Rep. Payne, Jr. has written letters and held conferences to extend the time for immigrants in these programs and get them a path to citizenship since 2009. Once the Dreamers and other immigrants have attained LPR status, they must wait five years before they can apply for citizenship. Polls show that nearly 75 percent of Americans favor this bill.

The Farm Workforce and Modernization Act helps farmers meet their labor needs through a program for agricultural workers and their spouses and minor children to earn legal Certified Agricultural Worker (CAW) status through continued agricultural employment. The bill reforms the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program to provide more flexibility for employers, while ensuring critical protections for workers. Also, it establishes a mandatory, nationwide E-Verify system to ensure compliance with the reformed H-2A visa program while also protecting workers' due process rights.

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