What They Are Saying: Leaders and Advocates Applaud Congresswoman Garcia's Reintroduction of the American Dream and Promise Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. –Last week, Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29) reintroduced the bipartisan American Dream and Promise Act of 2025, a crucial piece of legislation that would provide a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, TPS holders, and DED recipients. The bill has the support of 202 Members of Congress and a growing list of more than 130 organizations, ranging from civil rights and education groups to labor unions and immigrant rights organizations. 

Below are excerpts of what some elected officials and key stakeholders had to say about the reintroduction of the bipartisan American Dream and Promise Act of 2025:

“Members on both sides of the aisle talk about supporting our Dreamers. While the talk and support is great, now is the time to act. We want everyone to act by voting for this American Dream and Promise Act. Let's bring it to the Floor, and let's get it done,” said Democratic Whip Katherine Clark.

“I want to thank Sylvia Garcia for her steadfast leadership in authoring this bill…House Democrats know America is a nation of immigrants, and we also recognize our current immigration system is broken. The only way to fix it is to secure our border, keep our communities safe and protect Dreamers, farmworkers, those with TPS status, and families around our country,” said Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar.

“Dreamers and TPS holders are our neighbors. They’re teachers, nurses, and small business owners, but they live in fear of deportation each day as the Trump Administration threatens to end these lawful programs. It’s time to establish a path to lawful permanent residence, which is a popular and bipartisan effort. I think Representative Garcia for her leadership in the House,” said Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin, lead author of the Dream Act in the Senate.

“The American Dream and Promise Act has overwhelming public support by everyday communities who desperately want to see their elected leaders throw their political will and might behind genuine immigration solutions, not violent anti-immigrant gamesmanship and policies that turbocharge mass detention while gutting funding for education, healthcare, and food programs,” said Greisa Martinez Rosas, Executive Director of United We Dream. “This moment demands more than words—it demands action, courage, and an unshakable commitment to justice.”

“DACA recipients came to this country at the average age of six years old and have built their lives here for over a quarter century on average. Dreamers have been waiting for most of their lives to be granted permanent protections to stay in the only country they know as home,” said Todd Schulte, FWD.us President. “TPS recipients – who are business owners, essential workers, and valued neighbors contributing more than $50 billion to the U.S. economy annually – deserve the stability and opportunity that only permanent legal status can provide. The American Dream and Promise Act delivers exactly that. This is the type of commonsense solution backed by a strong majority of Americans, business leaders, and communities across the country.”

“Dreamers are essential to our economy and communities. Businesses thrive on stability, yet Congress’s inaction has left these workers and families in limbo. Dreamers work in our organizations and are critical to the American workforce,” wrote the Coalition for the American Dream. “They are doctors and nurses, first responders and EMTs, business owners and engineers, parents and family members of citizens. A permanent, bipartisan solution is long overdue—it is time to provide our communities and businesses the certainty they, and our economy, need to succeed. We applaud the sponsors and cosponsors of this important and timely legislation and will work alongside them to pass the bipartisan American Dream and Promise Act.”

“As Trump pushes a mass deportation agenda designed to rip families apart and destabilize communities and industries, lawmakers must follow the blueprint this bill represents: a popular and pragmatic solution. Now more than ever, investing in our families and providing a path to citizenship is essential to countering Trump’s undemocratic attacks. Congress must seize this moment and turn broad public support into lasting policy,” said Beatriz Lopez, Immigration Hub Co-Executive Director.

“The American Dream and Promise Act represents the best of America, honoring our founding as a beacon of hope. It is also in our self-interest. Dreamers and those with Temporary Protective Status have long contributed to our nation and helped power our economy,” said Brent Booker, General President of the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA). “Approximately a third of those with Temporary Protective Status work in the construction industry. Many of these TPS holders are members of our union, have been in the country legally for years and are documented for work authorization. At a time when building our infrastructure is more important than ever, the construction industry needs these workers.”

“At a time of deep political division, the bipartisan American Dream and Promise Act is a rare example of a solutions-focused bill that also has the support of a majority of Americans. Amid the avalanche of anti-immigrant actions by the current administration and threats to immigrant youth and TPS holders, we welcome House members working across party lines to put forth this common sense legislation,” wrote the National Immigration Law Center (NILC). “We urge Congress to stop playing politics with people’s lives and instead act on the will of the American people to get the American Dream and Promise Act across the finish line.”

“House lawmakers reintroduced a bill Wednesday that would create a legal pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children. AILA endorses the American Dream and Promise Act of 2025,” wrote the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). 

“The University of California strongly supports the reintroduction of the bipartisan American Dream and Promise Act. We urge Congress to act swiftly to provide permanent protections for undocumented youth, including DACA recipients,” said Michael V. Drake, M.D., President of the University of California System. “These individuals are integral to our university and to our nation, contributing as scholars, researchers, and future leaders in fields critical to our economy and society. The University of California remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting them as they pursue their educational and professional goals.”

“Thank you Representative Sylvia Garcia for reintroducing the American Dream and Promise Act. Bipartisan, fair, and comprehensive immigration reform that respects human dignity is the only way forward. We will fight together to protect Dreamers, TPS holders and so many others,” wrote the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). 

“We encourage the U.S. House of Representatives to follow the lead of Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-TX), who introduced the bill, and do what is right and just,” said Becky Pringle, President of the National Education Association (NEA). “Educators won’t be silent as anti-immigrant politicians demonize our students, educators, and communities for political gain. Together with parents and allies, we will support political leaders who put real solutions forward to create a fair immigration process for all families.”

“We need balanced immigration policies that prioritize the well-being of American communities, not a mass deportation agenda that costs billions at the expense of social services,” said Nayna Gupta, Policy Director at the American Immigration Council. “Dreamers, people who benefit from humanitarian programs like TPS, and undocumented people with years of life in the U.S. are invaluable contributors to the American economy and society. Instead of making more of our families, friends, and neighbors deportable, Congress needs to protect them, as this legislation sets out to do.”

“Standing up for the opportunities and futures of Dreamers, TPS holders, farmworkers, and families is essential and a rare point of consensus on immigration among the American majority,” said Vanessa Cardenas, America’s Voice Executive Director. “The ‘American Dream and Promise Act’ is an important step forward that not only would offer stability and a pathway to legal status for many of these deeply rooted immigrants to fully participate in this nation, but also offer critical protections at a moment the Trump Administration is seeking to enact an indiscriminate mass purge of immigrants, including those eligible for the legal pathways created in this legislation.”

“Many of these hard-working, tax paying individuals came as children and have known nothing but the United States for most of their lives. They have been raised as Americans, yet are forced to juggle school, work and the incessant fear of being deported to a country they do not call home,” said Eric Rodriguez, UnidosUS Senior Vice President of Policy & Advocacy. “UnidosUS urges action to support these communities with the passage of the American Dream and Promise Act.”

“A bipartisan immigration bill we can rally behind!” wrote the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). “The Dream and Promise Act creates a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders–protecting immigrant communities and boosting wages for all workers.” 

“Dreamers and TPS holders are our friends, neighbors, and colleagues. They are filling vital roles in our communities as teachers, nurses, and essential workers. Congress should pass the American Dream and Promise Act,” wrote the Hispanic Federation.

“NHCSL endorses the American Dream and Promise Act, a solid first step towards the much-needed comprehensive immigration reform our Caucus has called for on multiple occasions. We thank these Members of Congress for their leadership, and look forward to working with Congress to pass it. We ask that President Trump keep his word to Dreamers and support and sign this legislation,” wrote the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators (NHCSL).

“We applaud Representatives Sylvia Garcia and Maria Elvira Salazar and the 200 cosponsors for the bipartisan American Dream and Promise Act providing a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, TPS and DED beneficiaries. This can help increase wages for all Americans and keep our economy strong,” wrote Rebecca Shi, Executive Director of the American Business Immigration Coalition.

“This is an opportunity for members of Congress to show they are committed to protecting the stability of immigrants and families who have been part of our country for decades,” said Mary Meg McCarthy, National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) Executive Director. “Even in a difficult political environment, we welcome this bill’s introduction as a signal that, despite the current administration’s threats and actions to end programs like Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, Temporary Protected Status, and Deferred Enforced Departure programs, leaders in Congress will continue to fight for the security and dignity of our immigrant neighbors and loved ones.”

“To build a strong, inclusive democracy for us all, we must prioritize keeping families together, removing barriers to citizenship, and ultimately pass the American Dream and Promise Act. Members of Congress: The time for durable solutions is now,” said Nicole Melaku, Executive Director of the National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA).

“Over many years of surveying the public, polling shows that a majority of Americans support a path to citizenship for Dreamers. Enacting the American Dream and Promise Act would increase U.S. gross domestic product by a cumulative total of $799 billion over 10 years and create 285,400 new jobs,” said Debu Gandhi, Senior Director of Immigration Policy at the Center for American Progress. “We urge lawmakers to listen to the American people and pass the American Dream and Promise Act this Congress.”

“Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia reintroduced the bipartisan American Dream and Promise Act, which would secure permanent protections for DACA recipients. This would allow them to contribute fully to our nation's economy and workforce,” wrote the Association of American Universities.

“Dreamers are vital to the future of our country— the United States needs their talent and skills. President Trump recently indicated that he’s open to working with Democrats to pass legislation that would protect Dreamers, and we’re ready to roll up our sleeves and work with the administration and Congress to make this happen,” said Diego Sánchez, the Director of Policy and Strategy at the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration. “The Presidents’ Alliance urges any bipartisan compromise on immigration to include the American Dream and Promise Act.”

“The American Dream and Promise Act of 2025 is a long-overdue measure to protect Dreamers and TPS holders who have made this country their home,” said Robert S. McCaw, Government Affairs Director at the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). “These individuals are our neighbors, teachers, doctors, business owners, and essential workers. They embody the American spirit, yet for too long, they have been forced to live in legal uncertainty. CAIR strongly supports this bipartisan effort to provide a pathway to citizenship, and we call on Congress to swiftly pass this vital legislation.”

“Thank you Representative Sylvia Garcia for reintroducing the American Dream and Promise Act! A majority of Americans agree—Congress should immediately pass legislation to permanently protect Dreamers so they can continue to live, work and contribute to the only country they know as home,” wrote Amnesty International. 

“We welcome the reintroduction of the American Dream and Promise Act by Representatives Sylvia Garcia and Maria Elvira Salazar. This bipartisan bill would protect DACA recipients & other immigrants w/ temporary status. We're grateful for the Members of Congress working across the aisle to do the right thing,” wrote Global Refuge. 

“The time for half-measures and political games is over. It is inconceivable that after decades of promises and political posturing, Congress has yet to pass a permanent solution for undocumented immigrants who entered the country as children and other undocumented people,” said Armando Jiménez, Deputy Organizing Director at Make the Road PA. “I am tired and exhausted of having to prove that we belong. I can only think of how my family was rooting for the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl alongside all of our neighbors. How we were excited to talk about the halftime show over coffee with our coworkers the next morning. I have lived in Pennsylvania for more than 30 years. How many more times do we have to hear empty rhetoric about the ‘American Dream’ while lawmakers fail to act? Dreamers and all immigrants have been contributing to this country every single day – working, building, and giving back. It’s past time for Congress to do the same and pass a bill that affirms our rightful place in this country.”

“It is past time for Congress to provide our immigrant neighbors and families with the security they deserve,” said Kate Jastram, Director of Policy and Advocacy at the Center for Gender & Refugee Studies. “We urge lawmakers to support the American Dream and Promise Act and step up to protect the rights and dignity of all immigrants and people seeking safety in the United States.”

“Congress can and should pass legislation to provide a pathway to permanent status for immigrants who arrived in the United States as children, and for those who have been granted TPS or DED based on humanitarian concerns,” said Trudy Taylor Smith, Esq., Senior Administrator of Policy and Advocacy at the Children’s Defense Fund-Texas. “The American Dream and Promise Act would secure the futures of millions of undocumented immigrant young people by allowing them to pursue further education, work, and raise families without fear of future deportation.”

“The American Dream and Promise Act would provide a pathway to citizenship for DACA and TPS holders in the U.S. An estimated half a million children have at least one parent with DACA or TPS status, and this legislation would help keep families together,” wrote the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP).

“The introduction of the American Dream and Promise Act represents a critical step toward justice, dignity, and stability for thousands of families who have contributed immensely to this country,” said Guerline Jozef, Executive Director at Haitian Bridge. “We urge lawmakers from both sides of the aisle to support this historic legislation and protect the futures of Dreamers, TPS, and DED recipients.”

“The American Dream and Promise Act of 2025 reflects our state’s values of compassion, opportunity, and family unity. Voices for Utah Children urges Utah’s congressional delegation to support this critical legislation and provide much-needed relief to thousands of Utah families who deserve the security and peace of mind that comes with knowing they can have a pathway to legalization in the country they proudly call home,” wrote Voices for Utah Children.

“Having a pathway to stability for immigrants who contribute to our communities and economy is a route to protect families and upholding our nation's values. Immigrant workers: dreamers, DACA, or TPS holders deserve recognition and permanent protections. They are not only part of the workforce but are a crucial force to continue building our nation,” said Evelyn DeJesus, LCLAA National President. 

“In the face of sweeping, indiscriminate detention and deportation, legislators cannot absolve themselves of decades of floor speeches, hearings, statements, and policy promises,” said Anika Forrest, Domestic Policy Legislative Director at the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL). “Congressional action is the only way to ensure Dreamers – our relatives, neighbors, teachers, first responders, business owners, and co-congregants – are not unjustly and cruelly ripped from our communities. We applaud this steadfast solidarity with our undocumented neighbors.”

“TPS and DACA beneficiaries have done everything asked of them. They have been thoroughly vetted by USCIS in order to receive their temporary benefits. They have earned a path to legalization, and it is why this legislation is so important” stated Abel Nuñez, Executive Director of Central American Resource Center (CARECEN).

“The American Dream and Promise Act is a critical lifeline for LGBTQ youth protecting them from deportation to countries where they face mistreatment, including violence of death because of their HIV status,” wrote Immigration Equality. “Thank you, Representative Sylvia Garcia for re-introducing this bill. This is a step forward!”

By creating a pathway to citizenship for DREAMers—who were brought to the U.S. as children and have lived their lives here —Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders, and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) recipients, this legislation would provide stability and opportunity for millions of individuals who call the United States home…The Women’s Refugee Commission is a proud supporter of this bipartisan legislation, and we call on Congress to quickly pass the bill,” wrote the Women’s Refugee Commission.

“The American Dream and Promise Act is critical to ensuring that Dreamers and TPS holders and their loved ones can continue living in and contributing to the country they call home. Congress must pass this bill,” wrote MomsRising.

“ACE supports reintroduction of the bipartisan American Dream and Promise Act!” wrote the American Council on Education (ACE). “Dreamers are vital members of our communities and economy–they deserve stability and a path forward. Thank you Rep. Sylvia Garcia and Rep. Maria Salazar for your leadership on this important legislation.”

“The American Dream and Promise Act is a moral imperative and an economic necessity. Moreover, this bill is a powerful assertion of our shared humanity,” said Iliana Perez, Executive Director at Immigrants Rising. “With more than 5 million DACA recipients, DACA-eligible youth, TPS recipients, and DED recipients contributing billions of dollars to our economy, the American Dream and Promise Act is an investment in our nation’s future and a commitment to prosperity for all.”

“The reintroduction of the American Dream and Promise Act is both urgent and morally essential to secure our country’s future. For far too long, DACA recipients, DACA-eligible individuals, as well as TPS and DED recipients, have waited for permanent, humane solutions to their immigration status,” wrote Advancing Justice Southern California. “We call on Congress to pass the American Dream and Promise Act. It is the right thing to do, not only for our communities but also for our economy and future.”

“Workers Defense stands with Rep. Sylvia Garcia, a member of a bipartisan coalition of nine lawmakers who introduced the American Dream and Promise Act on Wednesday. If passed, the Act would permanently protect Dreamers by creating a legal pathway to citizenship,” wrote the Workers Defense Action Fund.

Here’s the growing list of more than 130 organizations supporting the bipartisan American Dream and Promise Act of 2025: United We Dream, Home is Here Coalition, FWD.us, Coalition for the American Dream, Immigration Hub, CASA, AFL-CIO, Working Families United (WFU), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA), International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), UNITE HERE, International Association of Ironworkers, United Food & Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), National Immigration Law Center (NILC), American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Hispanic National Bar Association, University of California System, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), University of California, Santa Barbara, American Federation of Teachers (AFT), National Education Association (NEA), Center for Popular Democracy, MoveOn, American Immigration Council, America’s Voice, UnidosUS, NAACP, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Hispanic Federation, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators (NHCSL), CHIRLA, American Business Immigration Coalition (ABIC), National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC), National Partnership for New Americans, Center for American Progress (CAP), League of Women Voters of the United States, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, National Women's Law Center (NWLC), Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT), Association of American Universities, EdTrust, Immigration Project, Human Rights Campaign, Human Rights First, President’s Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA), Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Children’s Defense Fund, Children’s Defense Fund-Texas, Coalition for Asian American Children and Families, Church World Service, Bend the Arc: Jewish Action, National Council of Jewish Women, Anti-Defamation League (ADL), Global Refugee, Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice, Amnesty International, Make the Road Pennsylvania, Make the Road Nevada, Center for Gender and Refugee Studies, Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), Columbia Law School Immigrants’ Rights Clinic, Voices for Utah Children, Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees, Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA), Nicaraguan American Legal Defense and Education Fund (NALDEF), Haitian Bridge Alliance, NM Dream Team, Friends Committee on National Legislation, The Children’s Partnership, People Power United, Services, Immigrant Rights, and Education Network (SIREN), African Communities Together, People for the American Way, The Clinical Social Work Association, Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), Immigration Equality, Florida Immigrant Coalition (FLIC), Women’s Refugee Commission, MomsRising, Ayuda, Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, Children's HealthWatch, American Council on Education (ACE), Freedom Network USA, Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), Child Welfare League of America, SchoolHouse Connection, Prevention Institute, National Center on Adoption and Permanency, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, Central American Resource Center of Northern California (CARECEN SF), Foster Care Alumni of America, Immigrants Act Now, Omaha Together One Community, ImmSchools, National Association of Counsel for Children, Children's Advocacy Institute, Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights, Sayra and Neil Meyerhoff Center for Families, Children and the Courts at the University of Baltimore School of Law, Sull and Associates, Hope Border Institute, Immigrants Rising, New York Immigration Coalition, Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef), National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice, UndocuBlack Network, Muslim Advocates, Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network, Hindus for Human Rights, Arkansas United, Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project, African Public Affairs Committee, Hindus for Human Rights, American Families United, Texas Equal Access Fund, Lilith Fund, Centro Hispano de East Tennessee, Union for Reform Judaism, Justice Committee of the Sisters of the Precious Blood, Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative, AASA, The Schools Superintendents Association, Springfield Neighbors United, First Focus Campaign for Children, The United Methodist Church General Board of Church and Society, Adhikaar Human Rights and Social Justice, National Newcomer Network, Advancing Justice Southern California, Workers Defense Action Fund.