Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia Launches Discharge Petition to Force Vote on American Dream and Promise Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29), with the support of House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and House Democratic Leadership, officially announced and signed her discharge petition to force an up-or-down vote on the bipartisan American Dream and Promise Act (H.R. 1589). 

The American Dream and Promise Act would provide eligible Dreamers, undocumented individuals who were brought into the U.S. as children, with an earned pathway to citizenship and allow eligible recipients of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) to obtain lawful permanent resident status. 

A discharge petition allows a majority of House members to go around Republican leadership when it refuses to bring a bill to the floor. If 218 members sign the petition, they can force the House to vote on the American Dream and Promise Act. 

“This is not a warning about what might happen. Dreamers are losing their jobs, being detained, and being deported right now. Temporary Protected Status holders who have lived here for decades are being told to prepare to leave. Congress has the power to stop this, and there is no excuse for hiding behind Speaker Johnson while families are torn apart,” said Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia. “The overwhelming majority of Americans support a path to citizenship for Dreamers. So I am calling on my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to listen to their constituents. Sign the petition. Force the vote. Put these protections into law.” 

“Donald Trump's hateful policies are creating a climate of fear and uncertainty in immigrant communities. Holders of Temporary Protected Status and Deferred Enforced Departure are some of our most vulnerable neighbors who have fled natural disasters and political violence. It is inhumane and economically disruptive to force these immigrants who have built lives in the U.S. to abruptly leave," said Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez. "I'm proud my legislation, the Promise Act, is included in H.R. 1589 as it will provide these individuals with protection from deportation and a path to citizenship. TPS holders have endured tremendous pain and uncertainty under this Administration, and I ask my colleagues to join us in discharging this bill to provide a glimmer of hope to our migrant communities”

"For decades, Dreamers, TPS holders, and DED beneficiaries have only given to this nation. They bind our communities together, contribute to our economy, and embody everything that each American should strive to be, all while asking nothing in return but their opportunity to reach the American Dream. While America has changed much over the years, they have remained among the best it has to offer. They will always be our neighbors, and not just numbers to cruelly fuel Donald Trump’s deportation machine," said Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke. "I urge my colleagues to sign the discharge petition and put Congress on the path towards passing the bipartisan American Dream and Promise Act, because these true Americans deserve permanent protection from the country they have shown only love, and not ceaseless threats from those who know only hate." 

"Dreamers didn't choose how they got here, but they chose what to do once they arrived. They studied, they worked, they served, they built. America is the only home they've ever known. Yet for years, they’ve had to live with a suitcase by the door, waiting for the next court ruling or the next president to decide their future," said Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar. "I signed the discharge petition because Congress needs to act. As a co-lead of the American Dream and Promise Act, I am proud to support legislation that gives these young men and women the dignity they have earned: certainty to build their future in the only country they've ever called home.”

"For a quarter century, the United States Congress has been debating how to do right by Dreamers. For a quarter century, justice has been blocked, delayed and swept under the rug. Congress has the power to end this unnecessary and cruel wait. Dream and Promise is as just as it is popular – this is what our morality demands and what voters want," said Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairman Rep. Adriano Espaillat. "There is no excuse. I call on my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to represent the will of the American people and sign on in support of the Dream and Promise Act."

“I am proud today and every day to stand with our Dreamers and TPS holders. For far too long, Dreamers had to live in the shadows – and have now become a target of Trump and Stephen Miller’s mass deportation campaign – despite many having lived and worked in the United States for nearly their entire lives," said Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal. "As the courts deal blow after blow to DACA and TPS, it has never been more urgent that we pass the Dream and Promise Act to provide a roadmap to citizenship to keep families together and protect Dreamers and TPS holders.”

"Dreamers, TPS holders, and DED beneficiaries are vital members of our communities. They are our students, teachers, workers, and neighbors who contribute to our country every day,” said Congresswoman Judy Chu. “For many, the United States is the only home they have truly known. To Trump, none of that matters. His mass deportation regime continues to put them in danger. A pathway to citizenship must be established for these individuals so they continue to contribute and thrive here in the United States. That is why I will be signing a discharge petition to ensure our bill, the American Dream and Promise Act, can pass the House immediately.”

"Dreamers are an essential part of our economy. They are our nurses, police officers, and soldiers. They follow the law, pay taxes, and have built their lives in this country—graduating from American schools, growing in their careers, and starting their families here in America," said Congressman Lou Correa. "They’re deeply embedded in the fabric of our communities. They’re our neighbors and friends, and are a part of the economic fabric of this great country. They have earned the opportunity to be Americans. It’s past time that Congress passed the American Dream and Promise Act and deliver an earned pathway to citizenship for Dreamers—to keep their families together and keep our economy alive."

“For decades, Dreamers and TPS holders, many here since the age of two, have been waiting for stability. They have grown up here, taken care of us and given so much to our communities, yet they're living in constant fear of being ripped away from the only home they know. The growing attacks of the Trump administration and the Supreme Court on Dreamers and immigrants make it clear how urgent it is for Congress to finally act. That is why I am proud to join Congresswoman Garcia and advocates in filing a discharge petition to bring the Dream and Promise Act for a vote," said Congresswoman Delia Ramirez. "Democrats and Republicans alike need to prove to every Dreamer and immigrant that we know they are part of the fabric of our nation and finally create their pathway to citizenship. Let's pass the Dream and Promise Act."

“Dreamers and TPS holders are our neighbors, essential workers, and community leaders. They help power key industries including construction, health care, agriculture, and child care. They are the parents of hundreds of thousands of U.S. citizen children, working to provide for their families and integral members of communities across the country,” said Todd Schulte, President of FWD.us. “The Supreme Court’s decision allowing the termination of TPS along with the administration's quiet, ongoing attacks on Dreamers – with and without DACA – means all of them are now at greater risk of deportation. We’re grateful for Congresswoman Garcia’s leadership on the Discharge Petition for the Dream and Promise Act to ensure Dreamers and TPS holders are able to keep living, working, and contributing to our country. Every Member who says they support Dreamers and TPS holders should sign the Discharge Petition.”

“The discharge petition exists for moments like the one we face today. In the span of just one week, our communities witnessed the devastating shootings of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Johan Sebastian Guerrero. Two fathers whose lives ended in fear and whose deaths are a reminder of the 32 immigrants who have died at the hands of ICE and CBP this year alone. Congress cannot continue offering condolences in one breath, while shoveling billions of taxpayer dollars to fuel these horrors in another," said Juliana Macedo do Nascimento, Deputy Director of Advocacy and Campaigns at United We Dream. "As immigration enforcement intensifies across the country and millions who live under temporary programs like DACA and TPS are pushed out of status and out of work, the American people know citizenship is the only solution to this chaos and pain. Every member has a clear responsibility: sign the discharge petition and bring the Dream & Promise Act to a vote."

Since President Trump returned to office, hundreds of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients have been detained, and at least 85 recipients without a criminal conviction and pending criminal charge have been deported, according to information provided by the Department of Homeland Security. 

DACA recipients have also faced months-long delays in receiving renewals and work permits. Recipients who submitted their applications on time and followed every rule have lost their jobs, their income, and their ability to support their families while waiting for the government to act.

At the same time, the administration is terminating TPS protections for people from multiple countries, placing longtime residents at risk of losing their work authorization, separating families, and deporting them to countries facing humanitarian crises. 

The American Dream and Promise Act would:

• Allow eligible Dreamers who came to the United States as children to earn permanent legal status by meeting education, employment, or military service requirements.
• Provide lawful permanent resident status to eligible TPS and DED recipients who have established their lives in the United States. 
• Require applicants to complete criminal and national security background checks. 
• Protect eligible applications from deportation while their cases are being considered. 
• Allow eligible Dreamers to pursue citizenship through the existing naturalization process.

Versions of the American Dream and Promise Act passed the House with bipartisan support in 2019 and 2021. The legislation has broad support from immigration advocates, labor unions, educators, businesses, faith groups, and communities across the country. 

The American people support permanent protections. The legislation is ready. Members of Congress now have a choice: sign the petition and let the House vote.