[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 51 (Thursday, March 18, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H1507-H1527]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 AMERICAN DREAM AND PROMISE ACT OF 2021

  Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 233, I call up 
the bill (H.R. 6) to authorize the cancellation of removal and 
adjustment of status of certain aliens, and for other purposes, and ask 
for its immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 233, the 
amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules 
Committee Print 117-4 is adopted, and the bill, as amended, is 
considered read.
  The text of the bill, as amended, is as follows:

                                 H.R. 6

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

       (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``American 
     Dream and Promise Act of 2021''.
       (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act 
     is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.

                       TITLE I--DREAM ACT OF 2021

Sec. 101. Short title.
Sec. 102. Permanent resident status on a conditional basis for certain 
              long-term residents who entered the united states as 
              children.
Sec. 103. Terms of permanent resident status on a conditional basis.
Sec. 104. Removal of conditional basis of permanent resident status.
Sec. 105. Restoration of State option to determine residency for 
              purposes of higher education benefits.

                 TITLE II--AMERICAN PROMISE ACT OF 2021

Sec. 201. Short title.
Sec. 202. Adjustment of status for certain nationals of certain 
              countries designated for temporary protected status or 
              deferred enforced departure.
Sec. 203. Clarification.

                     TITLE III--GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 301. Definitions.
Sec. 302. Submission of biometric and biographic data; background 
              checks.
Sec. 303. Limitation on removal; application and fee exemption; and 
              other conditions on eligible individuals.
Sec. 304. Determination of continuous presence and residence.
Sec. 305. Exemption from numerical limitations.
Sec. 306. Availability of administrative and judicial review.
Sec. 307. Documentation requirements.
Sec. 308. Rule making.
Sec. 309. Confidentiality of information.
Sec. 310. Grant program to assist eligible applicants.
Sec. 311. Provisions affecting eligibility for adjustment of status.
Sec. 312. Supplementary surcharge for appointed counsel.
Sec. 313. Annual report on provisional denial authority.

                       TITLE I--DREAM ACT OF 2021

     SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``Dream Act of 2021''.

     SEC. 102. PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS ON A CONDITIONAL BASIS 
                   FOR CERTAIN LONG-TERM RESIDENTS WHO ENTERED THE 
                   UNITED STATES AS CHILDREN.

       (a) Conditional Basis for Status.--Notwithstanding any 
     other provision of law, and except as provided in section 
     104(c)(2), an alien shall be considered, at the time of 
     obtaining the status of an alien lawfully admitted for 
     permanent residence under this section, to have obtained such 
     status on a conditional basis subject to the provisions of 
     this title.
       (b) Requirements.--
       (1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
     law, the Secretary or the Attorney General shall adjust to 
     the status of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent 
     residence on a conditional basis, or without the conditional 
     basis as provided in section 104(c)(2), an alien who is 
     inadmissible or deportable from the United States, is subject 
     to a grant of Deferred Enforced Departure, has temporary 
     protected status under section 244 of the Immigration and 
     Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1254a), or is the son or daughter 
     of an alien admitted as a nonimmigrant under subparagraphs 
     (E)(i), (E)(ii), (H)(i)(b), or (L) of section 101(a)(15) of 
     such Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)) if--
       (A) the alien has been continuously physically present in 
     the United States since January 1, 2021;
       (B) the alien was 18 years of age or younger on the date on 
     which the alien entered the United States and has 
     continuously resided in the United States since such entry;
       (C) the alien--
       (i) subject to paragraph (2), is not inadmissible under 
     paragraph (1), (6)(E), (6)(G), (8), or (10) of section 212(a) 
     of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a));
       (ii) has not ordered, incited, assisted, or otherwise 
     participated in the persecution of any person on account of 
     race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular 
     social group, or political opinion; and
       (iii) is not barred from adjustment of status under this 
     title based on the criminal and national security grounds 
     described under subsection (c), subject to the provisions of 
     such subsection; and
       (D) the alien--
       (i) has been admitted to an institution of higher 
     education;
       (ii) has been admitted to an area career and technical 
     education school at the postsecondary level;
       (iii) in the United States, has obtained--

       (I) a high school diploma or a commensurate alternative 
     award from a public or private high school;
       (II) a General Education Development credential, a high 
     school equivalency diploma recognized under State law, or 
     another similar State-authorized credential;
       (III) a credential or certificate from an area career and 
     technical education school at the secondary level; or
       (IV) a recognized postsecondary credential; or

       (iv) is enrolled in secondary school or in an education 
     program assisting students in--

       (I) obtaining a high school diploma or its recognized 
     equivalent under State law;
       (II) passing the General Education Development test, a high 
     school equivalence diploma examination, or other similar 
     State-authorized exam;
       (III) obtaining a certificate or credential from an area 
     career and technical education school providing education at 
     the secondary level; or
       (IV) obtaining a recognized postsecondary credential.

       (2) Waiver of grounds of inadmissibility.--With respect to 
     any benefit under this title, and in addition to the waivers 
     under subsection (c)(2), the Secretary may waive the grounds 
     of inadmissibility under paragraph (1), (6)(E), (6)(G), or 
     (10)(D) of section 212(a) of the Immigration and Nationality 
     Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)) for humanitarian purposes, for family 
     unity, or because the waiver is otherwise in the public 
     interest.
       (3) Application fee.--
       (A) In general.--The Secretary may, subject to an exemption 
     under section 303(c), require an alien applying under this 
     section to pay a reasonable fee that is commensurate with the 
     cost of processing the application but does not exceed 
     $495.00.
       (B) Special procedures for applicants with daca.--The 
     Secretary shall establish a streamlined procedure for aliens 
     who have been granted DACA and who meet the requirements for 
     renewal (under the terms of the program in effect on January 
     1, 2017) to apply for adjustment of status to that of an 
     alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence on a 
     conditional basis under this section, or without the 
     conditional basis as provided in section 104(c)(2). Such 
     procedure shall not include a requirement that the applicant 
     pay a fee, except that the Secretary may require an applicant 
     who meets the requirements for lawful permanent residence 
     without the conditional basis under section 104(c)(2) to pay 
     a fee that is commensurate with the cost of processing the 
     application, subject to the exemption under section 303(c).
       (4) Background checks.--The Secretary may not grant an 
     alien permanent resident status on a conditional basis under 
     this section until the requirements of section 302 are 
     satisfied.

[[Page H1508]]

       (5) Military selective service.--An alien applying for 
     permanent resident status on a conditional basis under this 
     section, or without the conditional basis as provided in 
     section 104(c)(2), shall establish that the alien has 
     registered under the Military Selective Service Act (50 
     U.S.C. 3801 et seq.), if the alien is subject to registration 
     under such Act.
       (c) Criminal and National Security Bars.--
       (1) Grounds of ineligibility.--Except as provided in 
     paragraph (2), an alien is ineligible for adjustment of 
     status under this title (whether on a conditional basis or 
     without the conditional basis as provided in section 
     104(c)(2)) if any of the following apply:
       (A) The alien is inadmissible under paragraph (2) or (3) of 
     section 212(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
     U.S.C. 1182(a)).
       (B) Excluding any offense under State law for which an 
     essential element is the alien's immigration status, and any 
     minor traffic offense, the alien has been convicted of--
       (i) any felony offense;
       (ii) three or more misdemeanor offenses (excluding simple 
     possession of cannabis or cannabis-related paraphernalia, any 
     offense involving cannabis or cannabis-related paraphernalia 
     which is no longer prosecutable in the State in which the 
     conviction was entered, and any offense involving civil 
     disobedience without violence) not occurring on the same 
     date, and not arising out of the same act, omission, or 
     scheme of misconduct; or
       (iii) a misdemeanor offense of domestic violence, unless 
     the alien demonstrates that such crime is related to the 
     alien having been--

       (I) a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, 
     stalking, child abuse or neglect, abuse or neglect in later 
     life, or human trafficking;
       (II) battered or subjected to extreme cruelty; or
       (III) a victim of criminal activity described in section 
     101(a)(15)(U)(iii) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
     U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(U)(iii)).

       (2) Waivers for certain misdemeanors.--For humanitarian 
     purposes, family unity, or if otherwise in the public 
     interest, the Secretary may--
       (A) waive the grounds of inadmissibility under 
     subparagraphs (A), (C), and (D) of section 212(a)(2) of the 
     Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(2)), unless 
     the conviction forming the basis for inadmissibility would 
     otherwise render the alien ineligible under paragraph (1)(B) 
     (subject to subparagraph (B)); and
       (B) for purposes of clauses (ii) and (iii) of paragraph 
     (1)(B), waive consideration of--
       (i) one misdemeanor offense if the alien has not been 
     convicted of any offense in the 5-year period preceding the 
     date on which the alien applies for adjustment of status 
     under this title; or
       (ii) up to two misdemeanor offenses if the alien has not 
     been convicted of any offense in the 10-year period preceding 
     the date on which the alien applies for adjustment of status 
     under this title.
       (3) Authority to conduct secondary review.--
       (A) In general.--Notwithstanding an alien's eligibility for 
     adjustment of status under this title, and subject to the 
     procedures described in this paragraph, the Secretary may, as 
     a matter of non-delegable discretion, provisionally deny an 
     application for adjustment of status (whether on a 
     conditional basis or without the conditional basis as 
     provided in section 104(c)(2)) if the Secretary, based on 
     clear and convincing evidence, which shall include credible 
     law enforcement information, determines that the alien is 
     described in subparagraph (B) or (D).
       (B) Public safety.--An alien is described in this 
     subparagraph if--
       (i) excluding simple possession of cannabis or cannabis-
     related paraphernalia, any offense involving cannabis or 
     cannabis-related paraphernalia which is no longer 
     prosecutable in the State in which the conviction was 
     entered, any offense under State law for which an essential 
     element is the alien's immigration status, any offense 
     involving civil disobedience without violence, and any minor 
     traffic offense, the alien--

       (I) has been convicted of a misdemeanor offense punishable 
     by a term of imprisonment of more than 30 days; or
       (II) has been adjudicated delinquent in a State or local 
     juvenile court proceeding that resulted in a disposition 
     ordering placement in a secure facility; and

       (ii) the alien poses a significant and continuing threat to 
     public safety related to such conviction or adjudication.
       (C) Public safety determination.--For purposes of 
     subparagraph (B)(ii), the Secretary shall consider the 
     recency of the conviction or adjudication; the length of any 
     imposed sentence or placement; the nature and seriousness of 
     the conviction or adjudication, including whether the 
     elements of the offense include the unlawful possession or 
     use of a deadly weapon to commit an offense or other conduct 
     intended to cause serious bodily injury; and any mitigating 
     factors pertaining to the alien's role in the commission of 
     the offense.
       (D) Gang participation.--An alien is described in this 
     subparagraph if the alien has, within the 5 years immediately 
     preceding the date of the application, knowingly, willfully, 
     and voluntarily participated in offenses committed by a 
     criminal street gang (as described in subsections (a) and (c) 
     of section 521 of title 18, United States Code) with the 
     intent to promote or further the commission of such offenses.
       (E) Evidentiary limitation.--For purposes of subparagraph 
     (D), allegations of gang membership obtained from a State or 
     Federal in-house or local database, or a network of databases 
     used for the purpose of recording and sharing activities of 
     alleged gang members across law enforcement agencies, shall 
     not establish the participation described in such paragraph.
       (F) Notice.--
       (i) In general.--Prior to rendering a discretionary 
     decision under this paragraph, the Secretary shall provide 
     written notice of the intent to provisionally deny the 
     application to the alien (or the alien's counsel of record, 
     if any) by certified mail and, if an electronic mail address 
     is provided, by electronic mail (or other form of electronic 
     communication). Such notice shall--

       (I) articulate with specificity all grounds for the 
     preliminary determination, including the evidence relied upon 
     to support the determination; and
       (II) provide the alien with not less than 90 days to 
     respond.

       (ii) Second notice.--Not more than 30 days after the 
     issuance of the notice under clause (i), the Secretary shall 
     provide a second written notice that meets the requirements 
     of such clause.
       (iii) Notice not received.--Notwithstanding any other 
     provision of law, if an applicant provides good cause for not 
     contesting a provisional denial under this paragraph, 
     including a failure to receive notice as required under this 
     subparagraph, the Secretary shall, upon a motion filed by the 
     alien, reopen an application for adjustment of status under 
     this title and allow the applicant an opportunity to respond, 
     consistent with clause (i)(II).
       (G) Judicial review of a provisional denial.--
       (i) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
     law, if, after notice and the opportunity to respond under 
     subparagraph (F), the Secretary provisionally denies an 
     application for adjustment of status under this Act, the 
     alien shall have 60 days from the date of the Secretary's 
     determination to seek review of such determination in an 
     appropriate United States district court.
       (ii) Scope of review and decision.--Notwithstanding any 
     other provision of law, review under paragraph (1) shall be 
     de novo and based solely on the administrative record, except 
     that the applicant shall be given the opportunity to 
     supplement the administrative record and the Secretary shall 
     be given the opportunity to rebut the evidence and arguments 
     raised in such submission. Upon issuing its decision, the 
     court shall remand the matter, with appropriate instructions, 
     to the Department of Homeland Security to render a final 
     decision on the application.
       (iii) Appointed counsel.--Notwithstanding any other 
     provision of law, an applicant seeking judicial review under 
     clause (i) shall be represented by counsel. Upon the request 
     of the applicant, counsel shall be appointed for the 
     applicant, in accordance with procedures to be established by 
     the Attorney General within 90 days of the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, and shall be funded in accordance with 
     fees collected and deposited in the Immigration Counsel 
     Account under section 312.
       (4) Definitions.--For purposes of this subsection--
       (A) the term ``felony offense'' means an offense under 
     Federal or State law that is punishable by a maximum term of 
     imprisonment of more than 1 year;
       (B) the term ``misdemeanor offense'' means an offense under 
     Federal or State law that is punishable by a term of 
     imprisonment of more than 5 days but not more than 1 year; 
     and
       (C) the term ``crime of domestic violence'' means any 
     offense that has as an element the use, attempted use, or 
     threatened use of physical force against a person committed 
     by a current or former spouse of the person, by an individual 
     with whom the person shares a child in common, by an 
     individual who is cohabiting with or has cohabited with the 
     person as a spouse, by an individual similarly situated to a 
     spouse of the person under the domestic or family violence 
     laws of the jurisdiction where the offense occurs, or by any 
     other individual against a person who is protected from that 
     individual's acts under the domestic or family violence laws 
     of the United States or any State, Indian Tribal government, 
     or unit of local government.
       (d) Limitation on Removal of Certain Alien Minors.--An 
     alien who is 18 years of age or younger and meets the 
     requirements under subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of 
     subsection (b)(1) shall be provided a reasonable opportunity 
     to meet the educational requirements under subparagraph (D) 
     of such subsection. The Attorney General or the Secretary may 
     not commence or continue with removal proceedings against 
     such an alien.
       (e) Withdrawal of Application.--The Secretary shall, upon 
     receipt of a request to withdraw an application for 
     adjustment of status under this section, cease processing of 
     the application, and close the case. Withdrawal of the 
     application under this subsection shall not prejudice any 
     future application filed by the applicant for any immigration 
     benefit under this title or under the Immigration and 
     Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.).

     SEC. 103. TERMS OF PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS ON A CONDITIONAL 
                   BASIS.

       (a) Period of Status.--Permanent resident status on a 
     conditional basis is--
       (1) valid for a period of 10 years, unless such period is 
     extended by the Secretary; and
       (2) subject to revocation under subsection (c).
       (b) Notice of Requirements.--At the time an alien obtains 
     permanent resident status on a conditional basis, the 
     Secretary shall provide notice to the alien regarding the 
     provisions of this title and the requirements to have the 
     conditional basis of such status removed.
       (c) Revocation of Status.--The Secretary may revoke the 
     permanent resident status on a conditional basis of an alien 
     only if the Secretary--
       (1) determines that the alien ceases to meet the 
     requirements under section 102(b)(1)(C); and
       (2) prior to the revocation, provides the alien--
       (A) notice of the proposed revocation; and

[[Page H1509]]

       (B) the opportunity for a hearing to provide evidence that 
     the alien meets such requirements or otherwise to contest the 
     proposed revocation.
       (d) Return to Previous Immigration Status.--An alien whose 
     permanent resident status on a conditional basis expires 
     under subsection (a)(1) or is revoked under subsection (c), 
     shall return to the immigration status that the alien had 
     immediately before receiving permanent resident status on a 
     conditional basis.

     SEC. 104. REMOVAL OF CONDITIONAL BASIS OF PERMANENT RESIDENT 
                   STATUS.

       (a) Eligibility for Removal of Conditional Basis.--
       (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary 
     shall remove the conditional basis of an alien's permanent 
     resident status granted under this title and grant the alien 
     status as an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence 
     if the alien--
       (A) is described in section 102(b)(1)(C);
       (B) has not abandoned the alien's residence in the United 
     States during the period in which the alien has permanent 
     resident status on a conditional basis; and
       (C)(i) has obtained a degree from an institution of higher 
     education, or has completed at least 2 years, in good 
     standing, of a program in the United States leading to a 
     bachelor's degree or higher degree or a recognized 
     postsecondary credential from an area career and technical 
     education school providing education at the postsecondary 
     level;
       (ii) has served in the Uniformed Services for at least 2 
     years and, if discharged, received an honorable discharge; or
       (iii) demonstrates earned income for periods totaling at 
     least 3 years and at least 75 percent of the time that the 
     alien has had a valid employment authorization, except that, 
     in the case of an alien who was enrolled in an institution of 
     higher education, an area career and technical education 
     school to obtain a recognized postsecondary credential, or an 
     education program described in section 102(b)(1)(D)(iii), the 
     Secretary shall reduce such total 3-year requirement by the 
     total of such periods of enrollment.
       (2) Hardship exception.--The Secretary shall remove the 
     conditional basis of an alien's permanent resident status and 
     grant the alien status as an alien lawfully admitted for 
     permanent residence if the alien--
       (A) satisfies the requirements under subparagraphs (A) and 
     (B) of paragraph (1);
       (B) demonstrates compelling circumstances for the inability 
     to satisfy the requirements under subparagraph (C) of such 
     paragraph; and
       (C) demonstrates that--
       (i) the alien has a disability;
       (ii) the alien is a full-time caregiver; or
       (iii) the removal of the alien from the United States would 
     result in hardship to the alien or the alien's spouse, 
     parent, or child who is a national of the United States or is 
     lawfully admitted for permanent residence.
       (3) Citizenship requirement.--
       (A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B), 
     the conditional basis of an alien's permanent resident status 
     granted under this title may not be removed unless the alien 
     demonstrates that the alien satisfies the requirements under 
     section 312(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
     U.S.C. 1423(a)).
       (B) Exception.--Subparagraph (A) shall not apply to an 
     alien who is unable to meet the requirements under such 
     section 312(a) due to disability.
       (4) Application fee.--The Secretary may, subject to an 
     exemption under section 303(c), require aliens applying for 
     removal of the conditional basis of an alien's permanent 
     resident status under this section to pay a reasonable fee 
     that is commensurate with the cost of processing the 
     application.
       (5) Background checks.--The Secretary may not remove the 
     conditional basis of an alien's permanent resident status 
     until the requirements of section 302 are satisfied.
       (b) Treatment for Purposes of Naturalization.--
       (1) In general.--For purposes of title III of the 
     Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1401 et seq.), an 
     alien granted permanent resident status on a conditional 
     basis shall be considered to have been admitted to the United 
     States, and be present in the United States, as an alien 
     lawfully admitted for permanent residence.
       (2) Limitation on application for naturalization.--An alien 
     may not apply for naturalization while the alien is in 
     permanent resident status on a conditional basis.
       (c) Timing of Approval of Lawful Permanent Resident 
     Status.--
       (1) In general.--An alien granted permanent resident status 
     on a conditional basis under this title may apply to have 
     such conditional basis removed at any time after such alien 
     has met the eligibility requirements set forth in subsection 
     (a).
       (2) Approval with regard to initial applications.--
       (A) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
     law, the Secretary or the Attorney General shall adjust to 
     the status of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent 
     resident status without conditional basis, any alien who--
       (i) demonstrates eligibility for lawful permanent residence 
     status on a conditional basis under section 102(b); and
       (ii) subject to the exceptions described in subsections 
     (a)(2) and (a)(3)(B) of this section, already has fulfilled 
     the requirements of paragraphs (1) and (3) of subsection (a) 
     of this section at the time such alien first submits an 
     application for benefits under this title.
       (B) Background checks.--Subsection (a)(5) shall apply to an 
     alien seeking lawful permanent resident status without 
     conditional basis in an initial application in the same 
     manner as it applies to an alien seeking removal of the 
     conditional basis of an alien's permanent resident status. 
     Section 102(b)(4) shall not be construed to require the 
     Secretary to conduct more than one identical security or law 
     enforcement background check on such an alien.
       (C) Application fees.--In the case of an alien seeking 
     lawful permanent resident status without conditional basis in 
     an initial application, the alien shall pay the fee required 
     under subsection (a)(4), subject to the exemption allowed 
     under section 303(c), but shall not be required to pay the 
     application fee under section 102(b)(3).

     SEC. 105. RESTORATION OF STATE OPTION TO DETERMINE RESIDENCY 
                   FOR PURPOSES OF HIGHER EDUCATION BENEFITS.

       (a) In General.--Section 505 of the Illegal Immigration 
     Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 
     1623) is repealed.
       (b) Effective Date.--The repeal under subsection (a) shall 
     take effect as if included in the original enactment of the 
     Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act 
     of 1996 (division C of Public Law 104-208; 110 Stat. 3009-
     546).

                 TITLE II--AMERICAN PROMISE ACT OF 2021

     SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``American Promise Act of 
     2021''.

     SEC. 202. ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS FOR CERTAIN NATIONALS OF 
                   CERTAIN COUNTRIES DESIGNATED FOR TEMPORARY 
                   PROTECTED STATUS OR DEFERRED ENFORCED 
                   DEPARTURE.

       (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
     law, the Secretary or the Attorney General shall adjust to 
     the status of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent 
     residence, an alien described in subsection (b) if the 
     alien--
       (1) applies for such adjustment, including submitting any 
     required documents under section 307, not later than 3 years 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act;
       (2) has been continuously physically present in the United 
     States for a period of not less than 3 years; and
       (3) subject to subsection (c), is not inadmissible under 
     paragraph (1), (2), (3), (6)(D), (6)(E), (6)(F), (6)(G), (8), 
     or (10) of section 212(a) of the Immigration and Nationality 
     Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)).
       (b) Aliens Eligible for Adjustment of Status.--An alien 
     shall be eligible for adjustment of status under this section 
     if the alien is an individual--
       (1) who--
       (A) is a national of a foreign state (or part thereof) (or 
     in the case of an alien having no nationality, is a person 
     who last habitually resided in such state) with a designation 
     under subsection (b) of section 244 of the Immigration and 
     Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1254a(b)) on January 1, 2017, who 
     had or was otherwise eligible for temporary protected status 
     on such date notwithstanding subsections (c)(1)(A)(iv) and 
     (c)(3)(C) of such section; and
       (B) has not engaged in conduct since such date that would 
     render the alien ineligible for temporary protected status 
     under section 244(c)(2) of the Immigration and Nationality 
     Act (8 U.S.C. 1245a(c)(2)); or
       (2) who was eligible for Deferred Enforced Departure as of 
     January 20, 2021 and has not engaged in conduct since that 
     date that would render the alien ineligible for Deferred 
     Enforced Departure.
       (c) Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility.--
       (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), with 
     respect to any benefit under this title, and in addition to 
     any waivers that are otherwise available, the Secretary may 
     waive the grounds of inadmissibility under paragraph (1), 
     subparagraphs (A), (C), and (D) of paragraph (2), 
     subparagraphs (D) through (G) of paragraph (6), or paragraph 
     (10)(D) of section 212(a) of the Immigration and Nationality 
     Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)) for humanitarian purposes, for family 
     unity, or because the waiver is otherwise in the public 
     interest.
       (2) Exception.--The Secretary may not waive a ground 
     described in paragraph (1) if such inadmissibility is based 
     on a conviction or convictions, and such conviction or 
     convictions would otherwise render the alien ineligible under 
     section 244(c)(2)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act 
     (8 U.S.C. 1254a(c)(2)(B)).
       (d) Application.--
       (1) Fee.--The Secretary shall, subject to an exemption 
     under section 303(c), require an alien applying for 
     adjustment of status under this section to pay a reasonable 
     fee that is commensurate with the cost of processing the 
     application, but does not exceed $1,140.
       (2) Background checks.--The Secretary may not grant an 
     alien permanent resident status on a conditional basis under 
     this section until the requirements of section 302 are 
     satisfied.
       (3) Withdrawal of application.--The Secretary of Homeland 
     Security shall, upon receipt of a request to withdraw an 
     application for adjustment of status under this section, 
     cease processing of the application and close the case. 
     Withdrawal of the application under this subsection shall not 
     prejudice any future application filed by the applicant for 
     any immigration benefit under this title or under the 
     Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.).

     SEC. 203. CLARIFICATION.

       Section 244(f)(4) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
     U.S.C. 1254a(f)(4)) is amended by inserting after 
     ``considered'' the following: ``as having been inspected and 
     admitted into the United States, and''.

                     TITLE III--GENERAL PROVISIONS

     SEC. 301. DEFINITIONS.

       (a) In General.--In this Act:
       (1) In general.--Except as otherwise specifically provided, 
     any term used in this Act that is used in the immigration 
     laws shall have the

[[Page H1510]]

     meaning given such term in the immigration laws.
       (2) Appropriate united states district court.--The term 
     ``appropriate United States district court'' means the United 
     States District Court for the District of Columbia or the 
     United States district court with jurisdiction over the 
     alien's principal place of residence.
       (3) Area career and technical education school.--The term 
     ``area career and technical education school'' has the 
     meaning given such term in section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins 
     Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302).
       (4) DACA.--The term ``DACA'' means deferred action granted 
     to an alien pursuant to the Deferred Action for Childhood 
     Arrivals policy announced by the Secretary of Homeland 
     Security on June 15, 2012.
       (5) Disability.--The term ``disability'' has the meaning 
     given such term in section 3(1) of the Americans with 
     Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12102(1)).
       (6) Federal poverty line.--The term ``Federal poverty 
     line'' has the meaning given such term in section 213A(h) of 
     the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1183a).
       (7) High school; secondary school.--The terms ``high 
     school'' and ``secondary school'' have the meanings given 
     such terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary 
     Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
       (8) Immigration laws.--The term ``immigration laws'' has 
     the meaning given such term in section 101(a)(17) of the 
     Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(17)).
       (9) Institution of higher education.--The term 
     ``institution of higher education''--
       (A) except as provided in subparagraph (B), has the meaning 
     given such term in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 
     1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002); and
       (B) does not include an institution of higher education 
     outside of the United States.
       (10) Recognized postsecondary credential.--The term 
     ``recognized postsecondary credential'' has the meaning given 
     such term in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and 
     Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
       (11) Secretary.--Except as otherwise specifically provided, 
     the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Homeland 
     Security.
       (12) Uniformed services.--The term ``Uniformed Services'' 
     has the meaning given the term ``uniformed services'' in 
     section 101(a) of title 10, United States Code.
       (b) Treatment of Expunged Convictions.--For purposes of 
     adjustment of status under this Act, the terms ``convicted'' 
     and ``conviction'', as used in this Act and in sections 212 
     and 244 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
     1182, 1254a), do not include a judgment that has been 
     expunged or set aside, that resulted in a rehabilitative 
     disposition, or the equivalent.

     SEC. 302. SUBMISSION OF BIOMETRIC AND BIOGRAPHIC DATA; 
                   BACKGROUND CHECKS.

       (a) Submission of Biometric and Biographic Data.--The 
     Secretary may not grant an alien adjustment of status under 
     this Act, on either a conditional or permanent basis, unless 
     the alien submits biometric and biographic data, in 
     accordance with procedures established by the Secretary. The 
     Secretary shall provide an alternative procedure for aliens 
     who are unable to provide such biometric or biographic data 
     because of a physical impairment.
       (b) Background Checks.--The Secretary shall use biometric, 
     biographic, and other data that the Secretary determines 
     appropriate to conduct security and law enforcement 
     background checks and to determine whether there is any 
     criminal, national security, or other factor that would 
     render the alien ineligible for adjustment of status under 
     this Act, on either a conditional or permanent basis. The 
     status of an alien may not be adjusted, on either a 
     conditional or permanent basis, unless security and law 
     enforcement background checks are completed to the 
     satisfaction of the Secretary.

     SEC. 303. LIMITATION ON REMOVAL; APPLICATION AND FEE 
                   EXEMPTION; AND OTHER CONDITIONS ON ELIGIBLE 
                   INDIVIDUALS.

       (a) Limitation on Removal.--An alien who appears to be 
     prima facie eligible for relief under this Act shall be given 
     a reasonable opportunity to apply for such relief and may not 
     be removed until, subject to section 306(c)(2), a final 
     decision establishing ineligibility for relief is rendered.
       (b) Application.--An alien present in the United States who 
     has been ordered removed or has been permitted to depart 
     voluntarily from the United States may, notwithstanding such 
     order or permission to depart, apply for adjustment of status 
     under this Act. Such alien shall not be required to file a 
     separate motion to reopen, reconsider, or vacate the order of 
     removal. If the Secretary approves the application, the 
     Secretary shall cancel the order of removal. If the Secretary 
     renders a final administrative decision to deny the 
     application, the order of removal or permission to depart 
     shall be effective and enforceable to the same extent as if 
     the application had not been made, only after all available 
     administrative and judicial remedies have been exhausted.
       (c) Fee Exemption.--An applicant may be exempted from 
     paying an application fee required under this Act if the 
     applicant--
       (1) is 18 years of age or younger;
       (2) received total income, during the 12-month period 
     immediately preceding the date on which the applicant files 
     an application under this Act, that is less than 150 percent 
     of the Federal poverty line;
       (3) is in foster care or otherwise lacks any parental or 
     other familial support; or
       (4) cannot care for himself or herself because of a 
     serious, chronic disability.
       (d) Advance Parole.--During the period beginning on the 
     date on which an alien applies for adjustment of status under 
     this Act and ending on the date on which the Secretary makes 
     a final decision regarding such application, the alien shall 
     be eligible to apply for advance parole. Section 101(g) of 
     the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(g)) shall 
     not apply to an alien granted advance parole under this Act.
       (e) Employment.--An alien whose removal is stayed pursuant 
     to this Act, who may not be placed in removal proceedings 
     pursuant to this Act, or who has pending an application under 
     this Act, shall, upon application to the Secretary, be 
     granted an employment authorization document.

     SEC. 304. DETERMINATION OF CONTINUOUS PRESENCE AND RESIDENCE.

       (a) Effect of Notice to Appear.--Any period of continuous 
     physical presence or continuous residence in the United 
     States of an alien who applies for permanent resident status 
     under this Act (whether on a conditional basis or without the 
     conditional basis as provided in section 104(c)(2)) shall not 
     terminate when the alien is served a notice to appear under 
     section 239(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
     U.S.C. 1229(a)).
       (b) Treatment of Certain Breaks in Presence or Residence.--
       (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and 
     (3), an alien shall be considered to have failed to 
     maintain--
       (A) continuous physical presence in the United States under 
     this Act if the alien has departed from the United States for 
     any period exceeding 90 days or for any periods, in the 
     aggregate, exceeding 180 days; and
       (B) continuous residence in the United States under this 
     Act if the alien has departed from the United States for any 
     period exceeding 180 days, unless the alien establishes to 
     the satisfaction of the Secretary of Homeland Security that 
     the alien did not in fact abandon residence in the United 
     States during such period.
       (2) Extensions for extenuating circumstances.--The 
     Secretary may extend the time periods described in paragraph 
     (1) for an alien who demonstrates that the failure to timely 
     return to the United States was due to extenuating 
     circumstances beyond the alien's control, including--
       (A) the serious illness of the alien;
       (B) death or serious illness of a parent, grandparent, 
     sibling, or child of the alien;
       (C) processing delays associated with the application 
     process for a visa or other travel document; or
       (D) restrictions on international travel due to the public 
     health emergency declared by the Secretary of Health and 
     Human Services under section 319 of the Public Health Service 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 247d) with respect to COVID-19.
       (3) Travel authorized by the secretary.--Any period of 
     travel outside of the United States by an alien that was 
     authorized by the Secretary may not be counted toward any 
     period of departure from the United States under paragraph 
     (1).
       (c) Waiver of Physical Presence.--With respect to aliens 
     who were removed or departed the United States on or after 
     January 20, 2017, and who were continuously physically 
     present in the United States for at least 4 years prior to 
     such removal or departure, the Secretary may, as a matter of 
     discretion, waive the physical presence requirement under 
     section 102(b)(1)(A) or section 202(a)(2) for humanitarian 
     purposes, for family unity, or because a waiver is otherwise 
     in the public interest. The Secretary, in consultation with 
     the Secretary of State, shall establish a procedure for such 
     aliens to apply for relief under section 102 or 202 from 
     outside the United States if they would have been eligible 
     for relief under such section, but for their removal or 
     departure.

     SEC. 305. EXEMPTION FROM NUMERICAL LIMITATIONS.

       Nothing in this Act or in any other law may be construed to 
     apply a numerical limitation on the number of aliens who may 
     be granted permanent resident status under this Act (whether 
     on a conditional basis, or without the conditional basis as 
     provided in section 104(c)(2)).

     SEC. 306. AVAILABILITY OF ADMINISTRATIVE AND JUDICIAL REVIEW.

       (a) Administrative Review.--Not later than 30 days after 
     the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
     provide to aliens who have applied for adjustment of status 
     under this Act a process by which an applicant may seek 
     administrative appellate review of a denial of an application 
     for adjustment of status, or a revocation of such status.
       (b) Judicial Review.--Except as provided in subsection (c), 
     and notwithstanding any other provision of law, an alien may 
     seek judicial review of a denial of an application for 
     adjustment of status, or a revocation of such status, under 
     this Act in an appropriate United States district court.
       (c) Stay of Removal.--
       (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), an 
     alien seeking administrative or judicial review under this 
     Act may not be removed from the United States until a final 
     decision is rendered establishing that the alien is 
     ineligible for adjustment of status under this Act.
       (2) Exception.--The Secretary may remove an alien described 
     in paragraph (1) pending judicial review if such removal is 
     based on criminal or national security grounds described in 
     this Act. Such removal shall not affect the alien's right to 
     judicial review under this Act. The Secretary shall promptly 
     return a removed alien if a decision to deny an application 
     for adjustment of status under this Act, or to revoke such 
     status, is reversed.

     SEC. 307. DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS.

       (a) Documents Establishing Identity.--An alien's 
     application for permanent resident status under this Act 
     (whether on a conditional basis,

[[Page H1511]]

     or without the conditional basis as provided in section 
     104(c)(2)) may include, as evidence of identity, the 
     following:
       (1) A passport or national identity document from the 
     alien's country of origin that includes the alien's name and 
     the alien's photograph or fingerprint.
       (2) The alien's birth certificate and an identity card that 
     includes the alien's name and photograph.
       (3) A school identification card that includes the alien's 
     name and photograph, and school records showing the alien's 
     name and that the alien is or was enrolled at the school.
       (4) A Uniformed Services identification card issued by the 
     Department of Defense.
       (5) Any immigration or other document issued by the United 
     States Government bearing the alien's name and photograph.
       (6) A State-issued identification card bearing the alien's 
     name and photograph.
       (7) Any other evidence determined to be credible by the 
     Secretary.
       (b) Documents Establishing Entry, Continuous Physical 
     Presence, Lack of Abandonment of Residence.--To establish 
     that an alien was 18 years of age or younger on the date on 
     which the alien entered the United States, and has 
     continuously resided in the United States since such entry, 
     as required under section 102(b)(1)(B), that an alien has 
     been continuously physically present in the United States, as 
     required under section 102(b)(1)(A) or 202(a)(2), or that an 
     alien has not abandoned residence in the United States, as 
     required under section 104(a)(1)(B), the alien may submit the 
     following forms of evidence:
       (1) Passport entries, including admission stamps on the 
     alien's passport.
       (2) Any document from the Department of Justice or the 
     Department of Homeland Security noting the alien's date of 
     entry into the United States.
       (3) Records from any educational institution the alien has 
     attended in the United States.
       (4) Employment records of the alien that include the 
     employer's name and contact information, or other records 
     demonstrating earned income.
       (5) Records of service from the Uniformed Services.
       (6) Official records from a religious entity confirming the 
     alien's participation in a religious ceremony.
       (7) A birth certificate for a child who was born in the 
     United States.
       (8) Hospital or medical records showing medical treatment 
     or hospitalization, the name of the medical facility or 
     physician, and the date of the treatment or hospitalization.
       (9) Automobile license receipts or registration.
       (10) Deeds, mortgages, or rental agreement contracts.
       (11) Rent receipts or utility bills bearing the alien's 
     name or the name of an immediate family member of the alien, 
     and the alien's address.
       (12) Tax receipts.
       (13) Insurance policies.
       (14) Remittance records, including copies of money order 
     receipts sent in or out of the country.
       (15) Travel records.
       (16) Dated bank transactions.
       (17) Two or more sworn affidavits from individuals who are 
     not related to the alien who have direct knowledge of the 
     alien's continuous physical presence in the United States, 
     that contain--
       (A) the name, address, and telephone number of the affiant; 
     and
       (B) the nature and duration of the relationship between the 
     affiant and the alien.
       (18) Any other evidence determined to be credible by the 
     Secretary.
       (c) Documents Establishing Admission to an Institution of 
     Higher Education.--To establish that an alien has been 
     admitted to an institution of higher education, the alien may 
     submit to the Secretary a document from the institution of 
     higher education certifying that the alien--
       (1) has been admitted to the institution; or
       (2) is currently enrolled in the institution as a student.
       (d) Documents Establishing Receipt of a Degree From an 
     Institution of Higher Education.--To establish that an alien 
     has acquired a degree from an institution of higher education 
     in the United States, the alien may submit to the Secretary a 
     diploma or other document from the institution stating that 
     the alien has received such a degree.
       (e) Documents Establishing Receipt of a High School 
     Diploma, General Educational Development Credential, or a 
     Recognized Equivalent.--To establish that in the United 
     States an alien has earned a high school diploma or a 
     commensurate alternative award from a public or private high 
     school, has obtained the General Education Development 
     credential, or otherwise has satisfied section 
     102(b)(1)(D)(iii), the alien may submit to the Secretary the 
     following:
       (1) A high school diploma, certificate of completion, or 
     other alternate award.
       (2) A high school equivalency diploma or certificate 
     recognized under State law.
       (3) Evidence that the alien passed a State-authorized exam, 
     including the General Education Development test, in the 
     United States.
       (4) Evidence that the alien successfully completed an area 
     career and technical education program, such as a 
     certification, certificate, or similar alternate award.
       (5) Evidence that the alien obtained a recognized 
     postsecondary credential.
       (6) Any other evidence determined to be credible by the 
     Secretary.
       (f) Documents Establishing Enrollment in an Educational 
     Program.--To establish that an alien is enrolled in any 
     school or education program described in section 
     102(b)(1)(D)(iv) or 104(a)(1)(C), the alien may submit school 
     records from the United States school that the alien is 
     currently attending that include--
       (1) the name of the school; and
       (2) the alien's name, periods of attendance, and current 
     grade or educational level.
       (g) Documents Establishing Exemption From Application 
     Fees.--To establish that an alien is exempt from an 
     application fee under this Act, the alien may submit to the 
     Secretary the following relevant documents:
       (1) Documents to establish age.--To establish that an alien 
     meets an age requirement, the alien may provide proof of 
     identity, as described in subsection (a), that establishes 
     that the alien is 18 years of age or younger.
       (2) Documents to establish income.--To establish the 
     alien's income, the alien may provide--
       (A) employment records or other records of earned income, 
     including records that have been maintained by the Social 
     Security Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, or any 
     other Federal, State, or local government agency;
       (B) bank records; or
       (C) at least two sworn affidavits from individuals who are 
     not related to the alien and who have direct knowledge of the 
     alien's work and income that contain--
       (i) the name, address, and telephone number of the affiant; 
     and
       (ii) the nature and duration of the relationship between 
     the affiant and the alien.
       (3) Documents to establish foster care, lack of familial 
     support, or serious, chronic disability.--To establish that 
     the alien is in foster care, lacks parental or familial 
     support, or has a serious, chronic disability, the alien may 
     provide at least two sworn affidavits from individuals who 
     are not related to the alien and who have direct knowledge of 
     the circumstances that contain--
       (A) a statement that the alien is in foster care, otherwise 
     lacks any parental or other familiar support, or has a 
     serious, chronic disability, as appropriate;
       (B) the name, address, and telephone number of the affiant; 
     and
       (C) the nature and duration of the relationship between the 
     affiant and the alien.
       (h) Documents Establishing Qualification for Hardship 
     Exemption.--To establish that an alien satisfies one of the 
     criteria for the hardship exemption set forth in section 
     104(a)(2)(C), the alien may submit to the Secretary at least 
     two sworn affidavits from individuals who are not related to 
     the alien and who have direct knowledge of the circumstances 
     that warrant the exemption, that contain--
       (1) the name, address, and telephone number of the affiant; 
     and
       (2) the nature and duration of the relationship between the 
     affiant and the alien.
       (i) Documents Establishing Service in the Uniformed 
     Services.--To establish that an alien has served in the 
     Uniformed Services for at least 2 years and, if discharged, 
     received an honorable discharge, the alien may submit to the 
     Secretary--
       (1) a Department of Defense form DD-214;
       (2) a National Guard Report of Separation and Record of 
     Service form 22;
       (3) personnel records for such service from the appropriate 
     Uniformed Service; or
       (4) health records from the appropriate Uniformed Service.
       (j) Documents Establishing Earned Income.--
       (1) In general.--An alien may satisfy the earned income 
     requirement under section 104(a)(1)(C)(iii) by submitting 
     records that--
       (A) establish compliance with such requirement; and
       (B) have been maintained by the Social Security 
     Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, or any other 
     Federal, State, or local government agency.
       (2) Other documents.--An alien who is unable to submit the 
     records described in paragraph (1) may satisfy the earned 
     income requirement by submitting at least two types of 
     reliable documents that provide evidence of employment or 
     other forms of earned income, including--
       (A) bank records;
       (B) business records;
       (C) employer or contractor records;
       (D) records of a labor union, day labor center, or 
     organization that assists workers in employment;
       (E) sworn affidavits from individuals who are not related 
     to the alien and who have direct knowledge of the alien's 
     work, that contain--
       (i) the name, address, and telephone number of the affiant; 
     and
       (ii) the nature and duration of the relationship between 
     the affiant and the alien;
       (F) remittance records; or
       (G) any other evidence determined to be credible by the 
     Secretary.
       (k) Authority to Prohibit Use of Certain Documents.--If the 
     Secretary determines, after publication in the Federal 
     Register and an opportunity for public comment, that any 
     document or class of documents does not reliably establish 
     identity or that permanent resident status under this Act 
     (whether on a conditional basis, or without the conditional 
     basis as provided in section 104(c)(2)) is being obtained 
     fraudulently to an unacceptable degree, the Secretary may 
     prohibit or restrict the use of such document or class of 
     documents.

     SEC. 308. RULE MAKING.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall publish in the 
     Federal Register interim final rules implementing this Act, 
     which shall allow eligible individuals to immediately apply 
     for relief under this Act. Notwithstanding section 553 of 
     title 5, United States Code, the regulation shall be 
     effective, on an interim basis, immediately upon publication, 
     but may be

[[Page H1512]]

     subject to change and revision after public notice and 
     opportunity for a period of public comment. The Secretary 
     shall finalize such rules not later than 180 days after the 
     date of publication.
       (b) Paperwork Reduction Act.--The requirements under 
     chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code, (commonly known 
     as the ``Paperwork Reduction Act'') shall not apply to any 
     action to implement this Act.

     SEC. 309. CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATION.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary may not disclose or use 
     information (including information provided during 
     administrative or judicial review) provided in applications 
     filed under this Act or in requests for DACA for the purpose 
     of immigration enforcement.
       (b) Referrals Prohibited.--The Secretary, based solely on 
     information provided in an application for adjustment of 
     status under this Act (including information provided during 
     administrative or judicial review) or an application for 
     DACA, may not refer an applicant to U.S. Immigration and 
     Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, or 
     any designee of either such entity.
       (c) Limited Exception.--Notwithstanding subsections (a) and 
     (b), information provided in an application for adjustment of 
     status under this Act may be shared with Federal security and 
     law enforcement agencies--
       (1) for assistance in the consideration of an application 
     for adjustment of status under this Act;
       (2) to identify or prevent fraudulent claims;
       (3) for national security purposes; or
       (4) for the investigation or prosecution of any felony 
     offense not related to immigration status.
       (d) Penalty.--Any person who knowingly uses, publishes, or 
     permits information to be examined in violation of this 
     section shall be fined not more than $10,000.

     SEC. 310. GRANT PROGRAM TO ASSIST ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS.

       (a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish, within 
     U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, a program to award 
     grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible nonprofit 
     organizations that will use the funding to assist eligible 
     applicants under this Act by providing them with the services 
     described in subsection (b).
       (b) Use of Funds.--Grant funds awarded under this section 
     shall be used for the design and implementation of programs 
     that provide--
       (1) information to the public regarding the eligibility and 
     benefits of permanent resident status under this Act (whether 
     on a conditional basis, or without the conditional basis as 
     provided in section 104(c)(2)), particularly to individuals 
     potentially eligible for such status;
       (2) assistance, within the scope of authorized practice of 
     immigration law, to individuals submitting applications for 
     adjustment of status under this Act (whether on a conditional 
     basis, or without the conditional basis as provided in 
     section 104(c)(2)), including--
       (A) screening prospective applicants to assess their 
     eligibility for such status;
       (B) completing applications and petitions, including 
     providing assistance in obtaining the requisite documents and 
     supporting evidence; and
       (C) providing any other assistance that the Secretary or 
     grantee considers useful or necessary to apply for adjustment 
     of status under this Act (whether on a conditional basis, or 
     without the conditional basis as provided in section 
     104(c)(2)); and
       (3) assistance, within the scope of authorized practice of 
     immigration law, and instruction, to individuals--
       (A) on the rights and responsibilities of United States 
     citizenship;
       (B) in civics and English as a second language;
       (C) in preparation for the General Education Development 
     test; and
       (D) in applying for adjustment of status and United States 
     citizenship.
       (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--
       (1) Amounts authorized.--There are authorized to be 
     appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of the 
     fiscal years 2022 through 2032 to carry out this section.
       (2) Availability.--Any amounts appropriated pursuant to 
     paragraph (1) shall remain available until expended.

     SEC. 311. PROVISIONS AFFECTING ELIGIBILITY FOR ADJUSTMENT OF 
                   STATUS.

       An alien's eligibility to be lawfully admitted for 
     permanent residence under this Act (whether on a conditional 
     basis, or without the conditional basis as provided in 
     section 104(c)(2)) shall not preclude the alien from seeking 
     any status under any other provision of law for which the 
     alien may otherwise be eligible.

     SEC. 312. SUPPLEMENTARY SURCHARGE FOR APPOINTED COUNSEL.

       (a) In General.--Except as provided in section 302 and in 
     cases where the applicant is exempt from paying a fee under 
     section 303(c), in any case in which a fee is charged 
     pursuant to this Act, an additional surcharge of $25 shall be 
     imposed and collected for the purpose of providing appointed 
     counsel to applicants seeking judicial review of the 
     Secretary's decision to provisionally deny an application 
     under this Act.
       (b) Immigration Counsel Account.--There is established in 
     the general fund of the Treasury a separate account which 
     shall be known as the ``Immigration Counsel Account''. Fees 
     collected under subsection (a) shall be deposited into the 
     Immigration Counsel Account and shall remain available until 
     expended for purposes of providing appointed counsel as 
     required under this Act.
       (c) Report.--At the end of each 2-year period, beginning 
     with the establishment of this account, the Secretary of 
     Homeland Security shall submit a report to the Congress 
     concerning the status of the account, including any balances 
     therein, and recommend any adjustment in the prescribed fee 
     that may be required to ensure that the receipts collected 
     from the fee charged for the succeeding two years equal, as 
     closely as possible, the cost of providing appointed counsel 
     as required under this Act.

     SEC. 313. ANNUAL REPORT ON PROVISIONAL DENIAL AUTHORITY.

       Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of Homeland 
     Security shall submit to the Congress a report detailing the 
     number of applicants that receive--
       (1) a provisional denial under this Act;
       (2) a final denial under this Act without seeking judicial 
     review;
       (3) a final denial under this Act after seeking judicial 
     review; and
       (4) an approval under this Act after seeking judicial 
     review.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The bill, as amended, shall be debatable for 
1 hour, equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking 
minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary or their respective 
designees.
  The gentleman from New York (Mr. Nadler) and the gentleman from Ohio 
(Mr. Jordan) each will control 30 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.


                             General Leave

  Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on H.R. 6.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 2\1/2\ minutes.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act of 2021, is 
vital legislation that establishes a path to lawful permanent resident, 
or LPR, status for two critically important populations that are in 
dire need of protection.
  The Dream Act creates an earned path to LPR status for Dreamers, 
individuals who entered the United States in their youth and who have 
lived here for most of their lives. Dreamers are part of the fabric of 
our Nation, aptly demonstrated by their commitment to bettering our 
country through the pursuit of education, military service, and 
employment.
  It is undeniable that Dreamers enrich our Nation. They are our 
neighbors and coworkers, they are classmates with our children, and 
they serve in our military with distinction. They are an essential part 
of our communities, where they contribute to our thriving economy and 
make America a stronger, more united, and more diverse Nation.
  Similarly, the American Dream and Promise Act provides a path to LPR 
status for individuals who either held, or were eligible for temporary 
protective status, TPS, as of January 1, 2017; or deferred enforced 
departure, DED, as of January 20, 2021.
  TPS is a form of humanitarian relief provided to individuals from 
countries experiencing dangerous conditions and crises. DED is like 
TPS, but it is derived solely from the President's constitutional 
powers to conduct foreign relations.
  Like Dreamers, TPS and DED recipients are essential to our 
communities. Many of them have lived in the United States for decades. 
They make up a significant portion of the workforce in key industries, 
including construction, food service, and home healthcare. They 
contribute to the U.S. economy, not only through their work, but also 
through consumer spending and tax revenue, and they have been 
particularly essential in serving our country during the COVID-19 
pandemic.
  I have no doubt that some of my Republican colleagues will stand 
before us today and use what they claim is a crisis at the border as an 
excuse not to support this bill. But let's get one thing straight, this 
legislation is not about the border, this legislation is about finally 
delivering on our promise to America's Dreamers and others who are 
equally deserving of our protection.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues, Lucille Roybal-Allard, 
Nydia Velazquez, and Yvette Clarke, for their commitment to this 
important legislation, and to the millions of people this legislation 
will protect.
  I hope that all my colleagues will stand up for them when it truly 
counts and will support H.R. 6 today.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

[[Page H1513]]

  

  Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, there is a crisis at the border. There has been a crisis 
at the border for weeks. And instead of addressing the crisis, instead 
of having a hearing in the committee, Democrats have passed bills that 
defund the police, restrict Americans' Second Amendment liberties, and 
federalize election law. And not one of those bills--by the way, not 
one of those bills went through committee.
  In fact, the Judiciary Committee--74 days of this Congress, the full 
Judiciary Committee has yet to have a hearing on anything. We have 
asked to have a hearing on the border crisis, the real crisis. We asked 
to have a hearing on cancel culture, the attack on peoples' First 
Amendment liberties. We asked to have a hearing on conservatorships. No 
full committee hearing this entire Congress, but they can pass bills to 
defund the police, restrict Americans' Second Amendment liberties, 
Federalize election law. And now, while there is a crisis on the 
border, they bring a bill to the floor that gives amnesty to 3 million 
illegal aliens.
  Seventy-four days of the 117th Congress, the Democrats have taken 
away the Republicans' right to offer a motion to recommit; they have 
kicked Marjorie Taylor Greene off a committee; two Democrats wrote a 
letter trying to cancel ``Fox News,'' ``Newsmax,'' and ``One America 
News.'' The Democratic chair of the House Administration Committee 
compiled a dossier on 140 Republican Members, and they are preparing to 
steal an election from Republican Congresswoman Miller-Meeks.
  And today, they are going to pass a bill--try to pass a bill which, 
as I said before, gives amnesty to 3 million illegal immigrants. We 
have got gang members crossing the border. We have got people whose 
name is on the terrorist watch list crossing the border. We have got 
COVID positive illegals crossing the border.
  We have had 100,000 encounters with foreigners on the border in 
February alone. Housing illegal immigrants in the Dallas Convention 
Center; the administration sending FEMA in to help. Even though they 
refuse to call the crisis a crisis, they are sending in the disaster 
agency to help with the situation. If that is not a crisis, frankly, I 
don't know what one is.
  A crisis that President Trump, 2 months ago, told us was coming. I 
want to read what President Trump said in January. Two months ago, this 
is what President Trump said: ``If our border security measures are 
reversed, it will trigger a tidal wave of illegal immigration, a wave 
like you've never seen before.'' Boy was that accurate.

  If our border security measures are reversed. What has the Biden 
administration done? They placed a moratorium on deportation, they 
ended the Remain in Mexico program, and they have stopped building the 
wall. I think that is a reversal. I think that is a reversal of the 
measures that were put in place. What did it trigger? A tidal wave of 
illegal immigration, a wave like you have never seen before. It sure 
did. The tidal wave is here, and the Democrats' answer is amnesty. Wow. 
Such a deal for the American people. Such a deal for the American 
taxpayer.
  Democrats answer: Defund the police, attack Second Amendment 
liberties of Americans, federalize election law, try to cancel ``Fox 
News,'' ``Newsmax,'' ``One America News,'' compile a dossier on 
Republicans, kick one congresswoman off of her committees, and try to 
take an election from another, all while they are creating a crisis on 
the border, and then respond to it all with, what? A bill that gives 
amnesty to 3 million illegal immigrants. That is what this legislation 
does today.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope we vote ``no.'' I hope we can stop this 
legislation. This is not what the American people bargained for. This 
is not common sense, and I hope we defeat this measure.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Roybal-Allard).
  Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, as a co-author of H.R. 6, I rise in 
strong support of the American Dream and Promise Act.
  I thank Speaker Pelosi for making the American Dream and Promise Act 
one of the top 10 Democratic priorities in the 117th Congress.
  I also thank Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren and the Judiciary Immigration 
Subcommittee for their invaluable hard work on this bill.
  Today, this House has another opportunity to pass H.R. 6 and, once 
and for all, end the fear and uncertainty that have plagued the lives 
of our Nation's Dreamers, who have become an integral part of the 
fabric of American society.
  According to the Center for American Progress, each year Dreamers 
contribute over $17.3 billion in Federal taxes, nearly $9.7 billion in 
State and local taxes, and their households have $75 billion in buying 
power.
  Over the course of this deadly corona pandemic, an estimated 202,500 
DACA recipients have risked their lives to protect the health and 
safety of Americans.
  Yet, in spite of the critical role they play in our society, over 2.1 
million Dreamers live in a state of limbo, doubt, and anxiety of being 
deported to a country most do not know.
  H.R. 6 eliminates the ambiguity in their lives and recognizes the 
talents and indispensable contributions Dreamers make to our country. 
While their individual stories may vary, they share the common 
denominator of embracing and exemplifying American values and love for 
this country, the only country they call home.
  The American Dream and Promise Act has the support of Democrats, 
Republicans, and Independents, as well as businesses, organized labor, 
faith groups, educators, health professionals, former cabinet 
officials, and the majority of the American public.
  This unprecedented coalition of support highlights that protecting 
our Dreamers and providing them with a path to citizenship is not a 
partisan issue. It is an issue about who we are as Americans, and what 
is in the best interest of our country.
  By passing the American Dream and Promise Act, we will live up to our 
American values of fairness, justice, and compassion. And these 
incredible young Dreamers, like generations of immigrants before them, 
can continue to play their vital role in the well-being our Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the American 
Dream and Promise Act today.
  Mr. Speaker, as a co-author of H.R. 6, I rise in strong support of 
the Dream and Promise Act.
  I thank Speaker Pelosi for making the Dream and Promise Act one of 
the top ten Democratic priorities in the 117th Congress.
  I also thank Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren and the Judiciary Immigration 
sub-Committee for their invaluable hard work on this bill.
  During the last Congress a similar version of the Dream Act passed 
the House with bipartisan support. But unfortunately, the Senate failed 
to take up the bill.
  Today this House has another opportunity to pass H.R. 6, and once and 
for all end the fear and uncertainty that has plagued the lives of our 
nations Dreamers who have become an integral part of the fabric of our 
American society.
  According to the Center for American Progress, each year Dreamers 
contribute over $17.3 billion in federal taxes, nearly $9.7 billion in 
state and local taxes, and their households have $75 billion in buying 
power.
  During this health emergency they also demonstrated the vital role 
they play in American society.
  Over the course of this deadly Corona pandemic, an estimated 202,500 
DACA recipients have risked their lives to protect the health and 
safety of Americans.
  Dreamers are amongst the essential workers helping to package and 
stock our food, the teachers of our children, and the doctors, nurses, 
and caregivers who daily have sacrificed their lives to save the lives 
of others.
  Yet inspite of the critical role they play in our society, over 2.1 
million Dreamers live in a state of limbo, doubt, and anxiety of being 
deported to a country most do not know.
  H.R. 6 eliminates the ambiguity in their lives and recognizes the 
talents and indispensable contributions Dreamers make to our country.
  I have the privilege of representing the 40th Congressional district, 
home to 24,000 Dreamers--the largest number in any congressional 
district.
  Since I co-authored the original Dream Act twenty years ago, known 
then as the Student Adjustment Act, I have met many of them and 
hundreds more, from all over the country, who have traveled to our 
nation's capital to tell their personal stories of hope, fear, 
exclusion, and heartbreak.

[[Page H1514]]

  While their individual stories may vary, they share the common 
denominator of embracing and exemplifying American values and love for 
this country, the only country they call home.
  They are American in every way, except on paper.
  They are Dreamers like Gabriela Cortes who was brought here at age 
two and will graduate in May with a Bachelor of Science degree. She 
says the Dream Act gives her hope because quote,'' This is the only way 
I can fully contribute to my country, the only home I know.''
  They are Dreamers like Sheila Salinas Navarro who is a first year PhD 
student at USC Leonard School of Gerontology. She says, quote, ``We 
need permanent solutions so that folks like me can contribute to this 
nation. All I ask is an opportunity to do so.''
  And they are Dreamers like Marvin Perez, brought to this country at 
age five and now attending Glendale Community college. He says he wants 
the opportunity to continue working on becoming a physician.''
  H.R. 6 will give them and all our Dreamers the opportunity to reach 
their full potential, contribute to their community, and help ensure 
America remains the strongest and greatest nation in the world.
  The Dream and Promise Act has the support of Democrats, Republicans, 
and Independents, as well as businesses, organized labor, faith groups, 
educators, health professionals, former Cabinet officials, and majority 
of the American public.
  This unprecedented coalition of support highlights that protecting 
our Dreamers and providing them with a path to citizenship is not a 
partisan issue.
  It is an issue about who we are as Americans and what is in the best 
interest of our country.
  By passing the Dream and Promise Act, we will live up to our American 
values of fairness, justice, and compassion. And these incredible young 
Dreamers like generations of immigrants before them, can continue to 
play their vital role in the well-being of our nation.
  I urge my colleagues to vote yes on the Dream and Promise Act today.

                              {time}  1245

  Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
California (Mr. McClintock), who is the ranking member on the 
Immigration and Citizenship Subcommittee.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, last year, we finally achieved 
operational control of our southern border for the first time in 
decades. The Trump administration had made it clear that our border 
would be enforced, and illegal immigration dropped dramatically.
  That all ended on January 20, when Joe Biden issued executive orders 
to stop deporting illegal immigrants, abandon the border wall, admit 
anyone claiming to be under 18, and rescinding the Remain in Mexico 
policy for asylum claims. That message has been heard loud and clear.
  The Border Patrol reported more than 100,000 encounters in February 
alone. Think about that. That is the entire population of South Bend, 
Indiana, or Green Bay, Wisconsin, in a single month, and it is getting 
worse.
  We are way beyond the debate over whether this is a border crisis. 
The question now is whether we have a border at all.
  What is the Democrats' response? This bill promises a path to 
citizenship not only for 700,000 DACA recipients but millions more who 
illegally arrived prior to January 1, were under 19 when they arrived, 
and have only committed two misdemeanors.
  How do they prove they qualify, Mr. Speaker? Under this bill, it 
means having a friend vouch for you.
  Now, we all sympathize with those illegally brought here as young 
children years ago, and more than 200 Republicans supported legislation 
in the 115th Congress to give them legal status. But it included 
measures that secured our border and enforced our laws to discourage 
another generation of young people being brought here exactly as we are 
seeing unfold today.
  Why are so many children being placed in the hands of Mexican 
criminal cartels and forced to suffer the 2,000-mile trail of terror to 
our border? Because it works.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill proves the Mexican crime cartels are right: 
You will be admitted into our country and need only wait for the next 
amnesty.
  Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren).
  Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, imagine this: You are 17 years old. You 
have worked hard, and you are the valedictorian of your high school 
class, the quarterback on the football team. You go down to apply for 
your driver's license, and you find out for the first time that you 
were actually not born in the United States and that you are 
undocumented.
  There is no possibility for you to get right with the law, but you 
did nothing wrong. You don't even remember the place that you were 
born.
  That is the circumstance that tens of thousands of young people find 
themselves in, and this bill allows those young people to get right 
with the law--they have done nothing wrong--and go on to become the 
full Americans that they are except for their paperwork.
  It does something else that is important, which is it recognizes that 
there is a group of people who are here under visas, but because the 
Senate messed up--that is a term of art--the per country cap bill that 
this House passed by 365 votes in the last Congress, there is a huge 
backlog from large countries so long that the dependents of lawful 
temporary visa holders age out. They have no remedy, just as the other 
Dreamers. They can't go back to the country they were born in because 
their parents are legally here. They have no capacity to become the 
full Americans that they are. This also resolves that problem.
  It is distressing to hear the rhetoric about the border. In fact, the 
uptick at the southern border began last April, and it relates to 
hurricanes and disorder in three Central American countries.
  We need to pay attention to what is going on in those three 
countries, and that is something the Biden administration is taking 
steps to do to solve that problem where it starts. I will just note 
that nobody is escaping from Costa Rica. It is the disorder in three 
countries that needs to be resolved.
  Mr. Speaker, vote ``yes'' on this bill.
  Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Biggs).
  Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, as we see the ongoing impacts of Biden's 
inhumane border crisis, I rise in opposition to H.R. 6.
  Mr. Speaker, it is irresponsible to be considering this bill today. 
This bill provides amnesty to millions of those who are illegally in 
this country. This promise of amnesty is a magnet for aliens attempting 
to enter the United States today. For at least 35 years, we have seen a 
direct correlation between promises of amnesty and an increase in 
illegal border crossing.
  The ongoing Biden inhumane border crisis is a direct result of then-
candidate and now-President Biden's flawed border policies, including 
amnesty. That is why I reintroduced the Fund and Complete the Border 
Wall Act earlier this year and introduced the Stopping Border Surges 
Act earlier this week.
  These bills include real reforms that will have real impacts. 
Specifically, the Stopping Border Surges Act fixes problems caused by 
the Flores settlement agreement that prevent DHS from detaining family 
units for more than 20 days, ensures that unaccompanied alien children 
are quickly and safely returned to their homes, and promotes increased 
integrity in the asylum system.
  H.R. 6 will cause more problems than it will solve. It has serious 
flaws that lead to fraud and abuse.
  This bill gives the Secretary broad authority to waive grounds of 
inadmissibility for humanitarian purposes, family unity, or because the 
waiver is otherwise in the public interest. That means that, under this 
bill, even convicted criminals will be eligible for amnesty.
  If that is not bad enough, under this bill, aliens who were removed 
from the country by DHS will be allowed to return and get amnesty. Let 
me repeat that: Aliens who were ordered removed by an immigration judge 
after receiving due process and were actually removed will be allowed 
to return and get amnesty.

  Last year, USCIS, the agency that administers this amnesty program, 
almost had to furlough 70 percent of its workforce because the fees it 
collects do not cover the costs of adjudicating immigration benefits. 
But this bill actually sets the amnesty fee arbitrarily low and will 
allow most aliens to obtain a fee waiver. That is a recipe for 
disaster.

[[Page H1515]]

  This bill prohibits information from being shared with ICE so that 
our immigration laws cannot be enforced. Instead of prohibiting 
information sharing, we should require information sharing.
  This bill does nothing to secure the border or close loopholes in our 
immigration laws that encourage illegal immigration.
  Mr. Speaker, I oppose this bill, and I encourage my colleagues to do 
the same.
  Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished 
gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Jayapal).
  Ms. JAYAPAL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the 
American Dream and Promise Act.
  As an immigrant myself who came to America alone at the age of 16 and 
who spent a decade in the immigrant rights movement before coming to 
Congress, I stand with the Dreamers and TPS and DED recipients who have 
courageously proclaimed ``undocumented and unafraid'' in the streets 
and Halls of Congress and built this movement for justice.
  These Dreamers, TPS, and DED holders have lived in the shadows for 
too long, doing our Nation's essential work while living a life of 
uncertainty and fear every day.
  Mr. Speaker, Congress--we--right here and right now can change that. 
We can stand up for our 4.4 million essential community members who 
have made the United States home. We can legislate what they deserve, 
which is a roadmap to citizenship and a future of hope, opportunity, 
and contribution.
  Let's stop the hypocrisy of criminalizing immigrants. Let's give 
recognition and hope today. Vote ``aye'' on the American Dream and 
Promise Act.
  Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Roy).
  Mr. ROY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio for yielding me 
time.
  Mr. Speaker, a couple of nights ago, I was in Laredo, Texas, doing an 
interview while overlooking the Rio Grande. My interview was 
interrupted by a stream of human smugglers and people shouting ``run 
for the ladders, run for the fences'' coming from the water. Then, some 
went back across the river.
  I went over to a facility where children are being housed right now. 
They are the people being smuggled by cartels for profit. That is 
happening right now today. While we sit in here and debate this bill, 
it is happening right now.
  A child is being abused right now by cartels. And this body, the 
``people's House,'' is doing nothing--nothing--to address cartels that 
have ownership of our borders right now.
  We are not doing our job. A secure border is pro-immigrant. Instead, 
what we are doing today is we are going to pass legislation that is a 
magnet for more trafficking of children. We are going to pass 
legislation today that empowers cartels. We are going to pass 
legislation today that is a Band-Aid on a broken system because this 
body refuses to do its constitutional duty to secure the borders of the 
United States. That is what we are going to do today.
  Meanwhile, nothing is going to improve the life of the little girl 
sitting in Nuevo Laredo right now being abused under the hands of CDN 
for the $3,000 or $7,000 to move that little girl across the river 
while Border Patrol doesn't have the resources to secure the border.
  I was down on the river with the guy who is on a 3-mile stretch of 
the border--one guy--and he can do nothing about that flow while 
narcotics and fentanyl come across our border.
  So, pat ourselves on the back today, Mr. Speaker, for a bill that is 
going to get passed and headline speeches given about how all this is 
so great for immigrants. Meanwhile, immigrants today are getting raped, 
abused, beaten, sold into indentured slavery, and put into human sex 
trafficking because we refuse to secure the border of the United 
States. And we will never get a chance to offer an amendment on the 
floor of this body to do anything about it.
  Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, let us remember that the United States Senate in 2013, 
with 14 Republicans and the balance of Democrats, well over 60 people, 
voted for comprehensive immigration reform, as I recall, and, perhaps 
the chairman can correct me, I believe $47 billion for security. Maybe 
the staff can shake their head if that was the right number. It was a 
very substantial number; it might not be the exact number.
  On this side of the aisle, we pleaded with the majority to bring a 
comprehensive immigration bill to the floor. They were in charge. They 
could have brought whatever security that they wanted. They could have 
brought comprehensive immigration reform to the floor.
  The bills that were brought to the floor bore no relationship, with 
all due respect, to the Senate-passed bipartisan bill, so we did not 
achieve comprehensive immigration reform. There was no conference; 
there was no back-and-forth; and there was no response to that 
bipartisan bill.
  So, I tell my friend from Texas, yes, there is a problem. There is a 
problem in trafficking, and we need to deal with it.
  But I also tell this House that what it ought to know is that the 
immigration system is broken. I wait for somebody to arise and say: No, 
it is fine.
  Nobody believes it is fine, Mr. Speaker. These bills are not 
comprehensive immigration reform, but they are supported by the 
American people because they know that Dreamers, TPS, and DED are 
adding to this country's value.

  Mr. Speaker, for 135 years, America's bright beacon to the world has 
been that statue that stands in New York Harbor. It lifts her lamp 
beside the golden door for those who are yearning to breathe free.
  My father came through that door. He was 32 years of age in 1934. He 
came from Denmark. He came for the reason most come, not fleeing, 
however, from a dangerous land, as some are now doing, but looking for 
opportunity and a better life. They have come throughout our history 
from every corner of the world, braving hardship and seeking 
opportunity, arriving here to build businesses, raise families, and 
contribute to strengthening communities.
  Dreamers have done that. They did not come at their insistence. They 
came at their parents' insistence or somebody else's insistence, but 
they are here, and they know America as their home.
  Immigrants are a reason why America became the world's most powerful 
and most prosperous country. For years now, however, our immigration 
and visa system has been terribly broken, so much so that millions in 
this country live in fear, holding their breath every day that they 
could be deported to faraway lands that are not their homes because 
America is their home.

                              {time}  1300

  For Dreamers, it has been their home since their earliest days. And, 
today, this House is going to take action, as we did last Congress, to 
help them breathe easier.
  The minority leader and I were meeting at the White House some years 
ago, and then-President Trump said: If you send me a Dreamers bill, I 
will sign it.
  Well, we never sent it. The minority leader and I negotiated, along 
with others--the administration and Senator Durbin, the minority 
leader, and Senator Cornyn. We didn't get there, sadly.
  This bill will correct a wrong that has brought fear and uncertainty 
to so many Americans. Yes, Americans. America is their home and their 
country. We are talking about patriotic and law-abiding residents, many 
of whom have been here for decades and are working to build a strong 
community and serving on the front lines of this pandemic as healthcare 
professionals, first responders, and essential workers.
  We owe them the chance to live without fear of deportation and family 
separation. There are other problems we ought to talk about and we have 
talked about. But, certainly, these Dreamers and those with TPS who 
have been here for a long period of time, and DED, this bill is just 
for them.
  When I say ``just,'' I don't mean solely. I mean justice.
  We passed the American Dream and Promise Act last Congress with 
bipartisan support, and I hope we can do the same today.

[[Page H1516]]

  I want to thank Representative Roybal-Allard for her leadership on 
H.R. 6, and all of those in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and 
yourself, Mr. Speaker, for the extraordinary work you have done.
  We are also voting, of course, today on another immigration bill this 
week, H.R. 1603, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act. I rise in 
support of that as well.
  This legislation, offered by Chairwoman Lofgren, provides a pathway 
to permanent legal residency to undocumented agricultural workers and 
their families who are living here and filling a critical economic need 
from which we benefit, every one of us, every day; and that is the food 
on our table.
  Without that change, workers and their employers will continue to 
operate under a cloud of uncertainty and instability. These reforms are 
long overdue, and I want to thank Chairwoman Lofgren for her work to 
bring them to the floor.
  I hope, as part of broader immigration reform efforts, that we can 
address the status of seasonal non-agricultural workers on H-2B, who 
contribute so much to our economy and communities working in 
landscaping, hospitality, and, in my own State of Maryland, the crab 
industry.
  After the House passes this legislation and H.R. 6, I hope the Senate 
will move quickly to send them to President Biden for his signature.
  The Dream and Promise Act, some 75 percent of Americans are for that. 
We have been passing legislation that an overwhelming majority of 
Americans are for, and somehow, the Senate didn't get it or didn't 
care. Hopefully, this year they will.
  If enacted, these two bills would provide a pathway to permanent 
legal status for some 3 million to 4 million people. They are here. 
They are among us. They help us. They work with us. They pay taxes. 
Let's bring them out from under the cloud of being kicked out.
  This legislation today is a major achievement and will hasten the 
moment when 3 million to 4 million immigrants and their families can 
breathe a little easier, a little freer, knowing they are welcomed and 
valued here in America, that they are truly a part of this country.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support both of these pieces of 
legislation.
  Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I would just point out that the majority 
leader is not accurate in what he said. Republicans, 2 years ago, had 
bills that were much more comprehensive than what the Democrats are 
bringing to the floor this week. We had a bill that dealt with merit-
based immigration, E-Verify, added workers to enforcement border 
security. It is just not accurate to say our plan was not 
comprehensive. We had two bills, as the Republican leader mentioned.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. 
McCarthy), the Republican leader.
  Mr. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Republican leader of the 
Judiciary for yielding. He is correct that when the Republicans were in 
the majority, they brought two bills to the floor.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the gentleman and others, and 
even the majority leader, that not one Democrat voted for either of 
those bills. Not one Democrat voted for a bill to move to the Senate. 
They actually denied the bill from going to the Senate, even if you 
wanted to change it to become law. That is just a little truth in 
history.
  Mr. Speaker, I am going to say something that President Biden refuses 
to say. There is a crisis on our southern border. It is a humanitarian 
crisis. It is a public health crisis, a national security crisis. It is 
a Biden border crisis, and it is spiraling out of control with no signs 
of ending.
  When candidate Biden told migrants in June to immediately surge to 
the border, I knew his immigration policies would be bad. But I did not 
think it would be this bad. I did not think that would mean 13,000 
unaccompanied minors in U.S. custody.
  I did not think it would mean moving them from border facilities 
across the country: 1,000 of them went to Midland Texas; 3,000 to 
Dallas; and, likely, to more cities tomorrow.
  I did not think the Biden administration would require COVID tests 
for American citizens entering the country, but not for illegal 
immigrants.
  I did not think Biden's own DHS Secretary would have to admit that we 
are ``on pace to encounter more individuals on the southwest border 
than we have in the last 20 years,'' Mr. Speaker.
  I did not think I would hear the President of Mexico refer to our 
President Joe Biden as the ``migrant President.''
  And I did not think it would only take 2 months to create the worst 
border crisis in the history of America.
  But, unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what happened. When 
I visited the border on Monday, one thing was abundantly clear: This 
crisis started at midnight on January 20.
  Mr. Speaker, it started when President Biden stopped building the 
wall, even though there are only a few miles left to complete. When he 
made that decision, he had to pay more money to the contractors to 
break the contract. It started when he promised to make all 11 million 
illegal immigrants citizens.
  Now, my colleague from Florida (Mr. Gimenez) spoke with a family from 
Honduras about their journey to the border. He asked them how long the 
trek was. They said it was 22 days. The story of this family is a story 
we have heard from many and it is not unique.
  You see, thousands decided to cross the border now because of 
President Biden's promises and policies. They listened to him in June 
when he said: You need to surge the border.
  As one migrant family recently told FOX News: Yes, I listened to the 
news that they were letting people in.
  When I was there Monday, I was speaking to the border agents, the 
American citizens, and the migrants. The number one thing was clear: 
the crisis at the border is the worst they have ever seen.
  When we went to El Paso, we toured the new processing facility. We 
built it under the last administration. It is huge, 98,000 square feet. 
And when I asked the chief patrol agent, Chief Chavez said: We built it 
so large with capacity, we didn't believe it could ever meet capacity.
  But that day we marked history. That day they hit capacity: 1,040 
people, mostly children unaccompanied.
  You know what it meant when you hit capacity?
  That meant 120 border agents got pulled off the border to protect us 
to go into the center. That is what a crisis looks like, even if the 
administration won't say it.
  We also saw overworked Border Patrol agents in the El Paso facility. 
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank them. What they are being asked to do is 
extraordinary: the pressure on them, the pressure from the 
administration not to allow press to see what is happening; the 
pressure of being over capacity with the number of people there; the 
pressure to do it under a pandemic. That is what a crisis looks like.
  When we sat and talked to the doctor from the medical unit, he told 
us that approximately 10 percent of every immigrant has COVID, but they 
are not tested. You see, that is only for American citizens when they 
reenter. But they are not tested and they are sent to other cities.
  And, as many of you know here, you could be tested and you are 
positive, but the person you have been standing around, put into one 
unit for a number of days, sleeping very close next to, after you have 
interacted the entire time in one unit, a closed unit, that you will 
become positive in the next 5 days. But that is okay because you will 
be shipped to another city. But that city has been trying to combat 
this pandemic. Who knows what happens next.
  And the most alarming, Mr. Speaker, was when we were briefed in 
Monument Three in El Paso. They told us that they caught people on the 
terrorist watch list. I know that the Speaker would be concerned about 
that. I was alarmed. I questioned further. It is not just people on the 
terrorist watch list. We found people from other nations, from Iran, 
from Turkey.
  Mr. Speaker, when I went to the press conference right after that, I 
mentioned that because I think every American--one terrorist is too 
much in this Nation that could get through. I believe, Mr. Speaker, 
that you believe that, too.
  But Congressman Gallego, the chairman of the Subcommittee on 
Intelligence and Special Operations--and

[[Page H1517]]

he also represents a border State--I thought he would tweet arm-in-arm 
to stop this.
  But you know what the gentleman said, Mr. Speaker?
  He tweeted on Monday that I was ``either lying or I was wrong'' 
because he hadn't heard anything about it. I believe he even challenged 
me because he had such high clearance because he is on Intel.
  And Congresswoman Escobar, who represents part of El Paso, I thought 
the gentlewoman would be very concerned, too, because this is where 
they are entering, where they caught these people on a terrorist watch 
list. Not everybody gets put on one. Mr. Speaker, what she said was 
that I was trying to ``fuel the division'' because I just said that a 
terrorist was caught coming through.
  But, on Tuesday, Axios confirmed that four people matching terrorist 
watch lists were arrested at the border, three from Yemen and one from 
Serbia.

  Biden's DHS Secretary also confirmed that this indeed happened. I am 
not sure if their Twitter account is down or if they have been blocked, 
but I have not heard an apology or a correction. I know Twitter does 
that to Members of Congress, but I hope they are back on and I will 
soon get the apology or the acknowledgment of a correction and the 
respect.
  If Members with security clearance haven't heard about the terrorist 
threats on the border, I suggest they pay closer attention to the 
classified briefings.
  Mr. Speaker, the responsibility for this crisis rests squarely on the 
shoulders of President Biden. After weeks of claiming they could handle 
it, his administration is now attempting to blame the growing crisis on 
the previous President. But nothing could be further from the truth. 
Words and actions have meanings, and Biden has sent the message that 
our border is open.
  So there is no question that President Biden provoked the problem. 
The question is: How can we stop it?
  Mr. Speaker, when I was there in El Paso, 150 miles of the wall was 
supposed to be built. But at midnight on January 20, 133 miles had been 
finished. Instead of finishing the project, they stopped. You could go 
to the ranch where they took down the old barrier because they were 
going to put up the new wall, and there is nothing there. It is not 
just people coming across illegally, but animals move back and forth.
  So far, the Biden administration congressional Democrats aren't 
providing any solutions. Mr. Speaker, we want to solve this problem. 
That is why I sent a letter to the President 2 weeks ago to sit down. 
When the President said immigrants should surge to the border, we 
understood what he meant. So all those who were seeking asylum 
automatically got in, COVID or not, no tests required.

                              {time}  1315

  We saw that the Biden administration told migrants: We aren't saying 
don't come; just don't come now. You see, that was from the Secretary. 
Those are really strong words.
  But, Mr. Speaker, what moved me the most was speaking to border 
agents, one who was a father, and one that was a mother, talking about 
the unaccompanied children. He told me a story of coming upon children, 
a one-year-old, a three-year-old, and a five-year-old all holding 
hands. No one in sight for miles away. It is remarkable that they got 
there.
  But the question is: How many didn't make it? How many lives have 
been lost or abused, simply because they heard a message, or you 
stopped the PACR program, or you changed from ``remain in Mexico,'' or 
you stopped finishing the wall that was almost complete?
  Mr. Speaker, those who defend the border told me that they have never 
seen so much fentanyl as they have in the last month. They have never 
seen the tactics that were used of storming the wall all at once. Just 
in this one small section, if you looked--it would just go a number of 
blocks--100 to 200 people a night are apprehended.
  We saw last week, with the Democrat's so-called COVID relief bill, 
$22 billion in healthcare subsidies that illegal immigrants are 
eligible for, another clear message. But zero dollars are dedicated to 
helping the men and women patrolling the border.
  Mr. Speaker, they need the help. They are stretched so thin. They are 
stretched so thin, in the middle of COVID, where they are dealing with 
something where they are not even testing for COVID but they have to 
interact.
  This new facility, 98,000 square feet, is a beautiful facility. It 
has already met capacity for the first time in history with the new 
administration. But if you look across into the parking lot, the dirt 
parking lot, where the border agents have to park, they were moving 
their cars. They had to put up tents, because the surge is so great. 
You see, they listened to the words of candidate Biden and they watched 
the actions of President Biden.
  But there is no new money. I know that COVID bill was the--well, we 
shouldn't call it COVID. It is less than 9 percent for COVID. But, Mr. 
Speaker, do you realize in that bill, prisoners will get more money 
than the Border Patrol? Do you realize that they are going to have to 
use their own operation money that is stretched so thin? So not only 
can the Border Patrol not be on the border, now they are taking any 
money for the future to deal with the surge today.
  The American people deserve leaders who will work with the 
seriousness of purpose, what this crisis requires. That is why I wrote 
a letter to President Biden 2 weeks ago asking to meet about the 
crisis. Since then, the crisis has only gotten worse, but, 
unfortunately, the President still hasn't responded. Today, I sent 
President Biden a second letter offering to relay what we learned at 
the border, since he refuses to go there. But I believe he would 
benefit from a hearing of what we saw and heard.
  Mr. Speaker, if the President won't go there and the President puts 
orders to deny the press from learning so the American people can't 
know, I think it would behoove him to hear from the people who are 
there.
  I also introduced five solutions based on the information from our 
trip. All of them are rooted in the basic idea that we are both a 
Nation of immigrants and a Nation of laws.
  Mr. Speaker, I know you are proud of your heritage, and I am proud of 
mine, like every single American. I know how many of us come from 
immigrant families. I know when you walk into my office, where you have 
been, Mr. Speaker, you look on my wall and you will see the documents 
from Ellis Island. April 23 of this year will mark the 100th 
anniversary of my grandfather, Guido Palladino, coming from Italy as a 
young child, boarding a ship to come here for a better life.
  You see, America believes in immigration, but there is no time to 
break the law and come illegally. There is a process to come here.
  If we implement now these commonsense solutions, it will help to stop 
the border crisis.
  Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, the Biden border crisis is a 
humanitarian, health, and national security crisis, and it is 
deteriorating quickly.
  To protect our citizens from further harm, our Government must send a 
clear and united message to the citizens of Mexico and Central America. 
That message is simple: There is never a right time to break the law 
and enter the United States illegally.
  The time for delay, denial, and distraction is over.
  Mr. Speaker, I know you care about this issue. I know you care about 
what is happening at the border. Mr. Speaker, I ask you, convey that to 
the President. If he cares as much as you, he will travel there. I know 
it is tough to travel, but when you have Air Force One--and I know he 
has got a schedule--it is not far to fly to the border. His own 
Secretary has said this is the worst it has been in 20 years.
  Mr. Speaker, there is not one law that has passed here that created 
that crisis.
  Mr. Speaker, to all your constituents and all of those in America, 
there are terrorists who have been caught; there are children walking 
in the desert by themselves; there are cartels making a fortune off the 
parts and disadvantaging of America.
  We are in the middle of a pandemic where people are not being tested 
but shipped to other cities. This isn't political, Mr. Speaker. This is 
about this Nation. Join with us on our letter. Let's solve this problem 
together.

[[Page H1518]]

  

  Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/4\ minutes to the gentlewoman 
from Texas (Ms. Escobar).
  Ms. ESCOBAR. Mr. Speaker, we are here today to talk about our 
Dreamers, the precious resource we have in our country. But, of course, 
unfortunately, what we are hearing is as much fear-mongering as 
possible from our Republican colleagues about immigrants.
  My name was mentioned, and the minority leader chose to come into my 
safe and secure community earlier this week to use my community as a 
prop, so I need to respond.
  In 2019, Mr. Speaker, I led codels to El Paso and brought nearly 20 
percent of Congress to my community. I invited everyone. I stood in the 
well and invited Republicans, Democrats, everyone. Only Democrats took 
me up on my offer to see the entire picture. Not just law enforcement, 
but to meet with advocates, attorneys, everyone who makes up the system 
of immigration on the border. Not a single Republican attended.
  Last session, we, as a Congress, passed a number of bills, including 
supplemental bills, to address what was happening on the border and to 
address immigration. No Republicans supported our effort.
  Last week, when I learned the minority leader was coming into my 
community, I sent him a letter, invited him to meet with everyone who 
was available to help give him the full picture. He refused.
  Their strategy is the same strategy they have employed with COVID: Do 
nothing.
  We will finally address this. I rise to support our Dreamers and H.R. 
6.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Dreamers across the 
country. These are young people who have lived in the United States for 
the majority of their lives; they already call the United States home 
and are citizens in all but name.
  The Dream and Promise Act creates a path to citizenship for those who 
were brought to the United States as children. They're people who have 
lived their entire lives as members of our communities and just want 
the opportunity to become citizens of the country where they grew up, 
go to school, and work. Which makes our communities safer and stronger.
  This bill provides strict guidance for earning citizenship and 
recipients are required to meet the standards and specifications of the 
program in order to maintain their status.
  When a parent makes the harrowing decision to take their child and 
leave their home behind, it's so that their child might have a better 
life. Like a lot of our grandparents and great-grandparents, they're 
coming to the United States for the opportunity to live the American 
Dream.
  Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I will just point out, I was at the border 2 
years ago, the Rio Grande; Mr. Roy was at the border last week; Mr. 
McCarthy was at the border this week. The previous speaker, Mr. 
Speaker, said that Republicans didn't come when she invited. We have 
all been down there and seen what goes on. Just this week, we have been 
down there to see the current crisis.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. 
Grothman).
  Mr. GROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, we take up this bill at a time when almost 
three times as many people are crossing the border as were this time 
last year.
  Under President Obama, it was a bad day if we had 1,000 contacts at 
the border. Now, we are having 3,000 contacts a day.
  These bills are being introduced, advertising that people who come 
here legally are suckers, and we are going to give preference to people 
who didn't come here legally.
  I would further like to ask that we delay the vote until the Biden 
administration removes the muzzling of the Border Patrol. We do not 
really know what is going on at the border, when this most opaque of 
administrations tells the Border Patrol that they cannot tell the press 
or Congressmen what is going on.
  James Madison must be spinning in his grave. He gave the press 
freedom, and they refuse to use it.
  Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 45 seconds to the gentleman from 
Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline).
  Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, Dreamers are American citizens in every 
sense of the word. For most, America is the only home they have ever 
known.
  Despite what my colleagues on the other side of the aisle argue, 
Dreamers are not a drain on the country.
  Dreamers contribute to our economy by adding an estimated $42 billion 
to the GDP every year. That is six times more than the cost of DACA.
  They participate in our workforce, own small businesses, create jobs, 
pay taxes, and spend billions of dollars every year on goods and 
services. Most importantly, they enrich our lives and are valued 
members of our communities.
  When the pandemic hit, over 62,000 Dreamers stepped up and provided 
lifesaving healthcare to all of us. Now, it is our turn to look out for 
our neighbors, our coworkers, and our friends. They have earned the 
right to call America home.
  H.R. 6 provides a path to citizenship for Dreamers as well as 
temporary protected status and deferred enforced departure recipients.
  I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.'' There is nothing more American 
than the Dream Act.
  Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman 
from Texas (Ms. Van Duyne).
  Ms. VAN DUYNE. Mr. Speaker, the crisis at the border is astounding in 
its scale, as thousands of illegal immigrants, enabled by drug cartels 
and human traffickers, enter the country on a daily basis, many of them 
unaccompanied minors, untested for COVID-19. Yet our colleagues across 
the aisle accuse us of using this crisis at the border as an excuse. 
Context matters and policies have consequences.
  This is a surge at levels we have never seen before, and it is a 
direct reaction to the Biden administration dispensing with numerous 
measures which protected our southern border.
  Yet, it is another day of political theater today on the House floor 
and another set of bills without any real debate.
  In addition to the lackluster effort here in Congress, our President 
needs to enforce our laws. I and 20 of my colleagues from Texas 
recently urged the Texas Attorney General to hold the President's feet 
to the fire and enforce the laws, such as Title 42.
  The President can use whatever language he wants to to describe what 
is happening on our southern border, but his reckless policies are 
creating a disastrous situation for Texans, putting our health and 
safety in grave jeopardy.
  Today could have been an opportunity for real debate and to send a 
message that this manufactured crisis needs to stop and make true 
reforms to our immigration system, yet that could not be further from 
the truth.
  It is obvious we have a broken immigration system, but Democrats' 
flagrant disregard of laws to appease the far left is dangerous and out 
of touch with the challenges real Americans are facing right now. 
Ignoring laws, such as Title 42, denying a border crisis, that is not 
leadership, and Texans know better than to take that sitting down.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill.
  Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 45 seconds to the gentleman from 
Colorado (Mr. Neguse).
  Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I had prepared remarks, but I cannot let the 
minority leader's remarks go unanswered.
  Some of my colleagues are aware of this. I was born in Minority 
Leader McCarthy's district, in Bakersfield, California. My parents came 
to this country 40 years ago as refugees. Because of the incredible 
freedoms and opportunities that our wonderful country has to offer, we 
have been able to live the American Dream. How dare he denigrate a 
majority that is working to ensure that that dream remains secure for 
thousands of Dreamers.
  In his district, in my district, across the United States, young 
people who live in fear, young people who have known no other country 
but the United States as their home, that is what this bill is about.
  Let's pass H.R. 6. Let's ensure that these Dreamers are treated the 
way they should be, as Americans.
  Mr. Speaker, I stand before you as the son of refugees. My parents 
came to this country nearly 40 years ago in search of the American 
Dream. Their ability to offer my sister and I countless freedoms and 
opportunities and the fact that just one generation removed I can stand 
in this chamber as a member of Congress, is powerful proof that that 
dream still exists.

[[Page H1519]]

  It is our duty to ensure that access to that dream remains 
attainable, for the 800,000 young Dreamers currently living in the 
shadows, for immigrants serving our communities on the frontlines of 
this pandemic--all while living in tremendous uncertainty and fear.
  This bill will codify what we already know to be true, that their 
home is here.
  We must pass H.R. 6. We must pursue the dream and the promise that is 
embedded in our great nation.
  I urge all my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Bishop).
  Mr. BISHOP of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, the American people are a 
generous people, instinctively drawn to the idea of amnesty. It is a 
fine word, ``amnesty.'' It means a general pardon for offenses, an act 
of forgiveness for past offenses.
  Of course, in the immigration arena, amnesty means not only pardon or 
forgiveness for violating our laws, but also a grant of important 
rights; ultimately, the privilege of citizenship. Sometimes that 
important distinction can be overlooked.

                              {time}  1330

  But what is particularly despicable in the present legislation is 
that Democrats exploit that fundamental spirit of generosity by 
misleading the American people about the scope of the proposed amnesty, 
its recipients, and its implications.
  They would have you believe that this legislation responds to those 
President Obama dubbed Dreamers. In the gentlewoman from California's 
description, it is a 17-year-old who worked hard and became a model 
student and quarterback on the high school football team who doesn't 
even remember the time before he lived in the United States.
  But this bill is not the Dream Act. Rather, it crushes the dreams of 
American workers. It is not for only 641,000 active DACA recipients. In 
this bill, Democrats want to provide amnesty for more than 2.9 million 
illegal immigrants, including even people who entered the United States 
illegally by January 1, 2021, just over 2 months ago, and all at a time 
when our unemployment rate is over 6 percent and working Americans are 
the hardest-pressed by the economic impacts of Democrats' affinity for 
lockdowns.
  This bill also allows dangerous criminals and gang members to gain 
amnesty benefits, even if they have been convicted of multiple 
misdemeanors. If this bill is signed into law, adults from Syria, 
Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, Liberia, and Venezuela will receive amnesty.
  This body should be prioritizing relief for American citizens, not 
illegal immigrants. I urge my colleagues to reject this misleading 
rhetoric and this dangerous bill.
  Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, the FBI and the Secretary of Homeland 
Security said the greatest threat to America is domestic terrorism, 
White racism, white supremacy, not babies who have come here innocently 
and through no fault of their own.
  I rise with great enthusiasm to support H.R. 6 and to join my 
colleague, Congresswoman Roybal-Allard, in her work. For two decades, 
we have stood alongside each other.
  The American Dream and Promise Act provides immigrant youth and 
current or potential holders of temporary protected status or deferred 
enforced departure the opportunity to become citizens.
  This is the very same person. This person, his name is Alonso 
Guillen. He was a DACA. He died coming to Houston during Hurricane 
Harvey trying to save lives. Cesar Espinosa, who organized a civil 
rights organization, is a DACA recipient, and the EMS person who worked 
with us during Hurricane Harvey, or Liberians on deferred status, and 
TPS persons.
  Let me just say, support this because it is the right thing to do. 
They are not terrorists. It is not amnesty.
  Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the Committees on the Judiciary 
and on Homeland Security, as an original cosponsor of legislation to 
extend the full promise of America to Dreamers, and a representative of 
a state on the southern border, I rise in strong support of H.R. 6, the 
``American Dream and Promise Act of 2019,'' and the underlying 
legislation.
  The American Dream and Promise Act of 2019 establishes a roadmap to 
U.S. citizenship for (1) immigrant youth and (2) current or potential 
holders of (a) temporary protected status (TPS) or (b) deferred 
enforced departure (DED).
  Ensuring a path to earned citizenship is a non-negotiable principle 
for me and the sine qua non of meaningful immigration reform 
legislation.
  Indeed, providing a path to earned access to citizenship has been a 
central feature of every comprehensive immigration reform bill I have 
co-sponsored or sponsored in the Congress since 2007 when I became 
Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and 
introduced the ``Save America Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act, 
(H.R. 1525),'' which I have reintroduced in each succeeding Congress.
  Like H.R. 6, Section 501 of my legislation provides a path to earned 
legalization status to those undocumented immigrants who have resided 
in the United States for 5 years and meet other eligibility 
requirements.
  Mr. Speaker, as we stand today on the precipice of passing the 
American Dream and Promise Act of 2019, I am thinking of the hundreds 
of thousands of young immigrants whose lives will be changed for the 
better by keeping our promise to them, so they can realize their dreams 
and making America better, stronger, and more prosperous.
  And at this moment, I am thinking of Alonso Guillen, an heroic 
DREAMER who lived in my congressional district, and who came to the 
United States from Mexico as a child and died when his boat capsized 
while he was rescuing survivors of the flooding caused by Hurricane 
Harvey in the Houston area.
  That is the type of courage, honor, and commitment to service we are 
talking when we speak of DREAMERS.
  Mr. Speaker, Title I of H.R. 6, the Dream Act of 2019, contains 
provisions regarding relief for immigrant youth.
  Title II of the bill, American Promise Act of 2019, contains 
provisions related to persons eligible Temporary Protected Stats (TPS) 
or Deferred Enforcement Departure; the third and final title contains 
general provisions that apply to both Titles I & II).
  Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 6 because it keeps America's word to the 
more than 800,000 young people we asked to come out of the shadows and 
walk proudly and unashamedly as legitimate members of the American 
community.
  The legislation does this by providing conditional permanent resident 
(CPR) status and a roadmap to lawful permanent resident (LPR) status 
and, eventually, earned U.S. citizenship for immigrant youth who 
entered the U.S. before age 18, have four or more years of residency, 
and graduated from high school (or the equivalent).
  H.R. 6 also provides an opportunity to apply for LPR status for 
people who currently have or who may be eligible for TPS or DED and who 
have three or more years of residency.
  Mr. Speaker, individuals who are eligible for protection under the 
bill have lived in the United States for much of their lives; the 
average Dreamer came to the United States at the age of 8, while the 
average TPS- or OED-eligible person arrived in 1997.
  Without permanent protections such as those in H.R. 6, the future of 
these immigrants, and their families, are at risk in the United 
States--as well as the fiscal and economic contributions they make.
  Passing this legislation is the right thing to do and now is the time 
to do it; in fact, it is long overdue.
  I am mindful also, Mr. Speaker, that in addition to helping restore 
America's reputation as the most welcoming nation on earth, the 
legislation the House will pass also positions America to better 
compete and win in the global economy of the 21st century.
  According to expert studies, including one by the Center for American 
Progress, ending deferred action for childhood arrivals would result in 
a loss of $460.3 billion from the national GDP over the ensuing decade 
and would remove an estimated 685,000 workers from the nation's economy 
and workforce at a time when more, not fewer, workers are desperately 
needed.
  And 10 states, including my home state of Texas, would stand to lose 
more than $8 billion annually in state GDP.
  Mr. Speaker, immigrants eligible for protection under H.R. 6 are part 
of Texas's social fabric.
  Texas is home to 386,300 immigrants who are eligible for protection 
under the Dream and Promise Act, 112,000 of whom reside in Harris 
County.
  These individuals live with 845,300 family members and among those 
family members, 178,700 are U.S.-born citizen children.
  Dreamers in Texas who are eligible for protection under the bill 
arrived in the United States at the average age of 8.
  TPS- and DED-eligible immigrants in Texas who would be eligible for 
protection under H.R. 6 have on average lived in the United States 
since 1996.

[[Page H1520]]

  Immigrants eligible for the Dream and Promise Act own 43,500 homes in 
Texas and pay $340,500,000 in annual mortgage payments.
  Eligible immigrants in Texas and their households contribute 
$2,234,800,000 in federal taxes and $1,265,200,000 in state and local 
taxes each year.
  Annually, these households generate $10,519,000,000 in spending power 
in Texas and help power the national economy.
  Mr. Speaker, let me highlight some of the more important provisions 
of the American Dream and Promise Act.
  H.R. 6 helps young persons in the following ways:
  1. Extends the length of conditional permanent resident (CPR) status 
from eight to ten years to give applicants more time to fulfill 
requirements;
  2. Stays the removal of minors who are not yet eligible for relief 
but may become eligible in the future and who temporarily unenroll from 
school;
  3. Permits people with CPR to obtain legal permanent resident (LPR) 
status without satisfying the employment, military, or educational 
tracks if their deportation would cause ``hardship'' to themselves or 
immediate family members (instead of ``extreme hardship'');
  4. Includes apprenticeship programs as a qualifying education to 
obtain CPR status;
  5. Eliminates the costly medical examination for applicants;
  6. Establishes a fee ceiling of $495 for immigrant youth applying for 
CPR status;
  7. Clarifies that people with CPR can access professional, 
commercial, and business licenses;
  8. Permits people with CPR who obtain a certificate or credential 
from an area career and technical education school to obtain LPR 
status; and
  9. Updates the criminal background bars and inadmissibility 
requirements.
  Additionally, H.R. 6 provides LPR status to CPR holders who (1) serve 
in the uniformed services for two years; (2) complete two years at or 
obtain a degree from an institution of higher education; or (3) work 75 
percent of the time in CPR.
  Another important feature of this legislation is that makes it easier 
for states to provide in-state tuition to immigrant students and 
establishes that CPR-holders are eligible for federal loans, work 
study, services, and grants.
  For persons with TPS or DED status, the American Dream and Promise 
Act provides much needed relief.
  First, H.R. 6 provides LPR status for people with TPS or DED (and 
those who were eligible but did not apply) who apply within three years 
from the date of enactment if they (1) had at least three years of 
continuous residence (as well as residence since the date required the 
last time that the person's nation of origin was designated) and (2) 
were eligible for or had (a) TPS on September 25, 2016, or (b) DED on 
September 28, 2016.
  This protection covers nationals of 13 countries: El Salvador, 
Guinea, Haiti, Honduras, Liberia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Sierra Leone, 
Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.
  I believe similar protections should be extended to Guatemalan 
nationals in our country, which is why I will soon reintroduce the 
``Continue American Safety Act,'' which extends TPS status to Guatemala 
and I look forward to working with my colleagues to achieve this 
outcome.
  Second, H.R. 6 classifies people with TPS or DED as inspected and 
admitted for the purposes of Immigration & Nationality Act (INA) 
section 245(a), making it easier to obtain LPR status through existing 
channels (e.g., a family-based petition).
  Third, H.R. 6 stays the removal or deportation of an individual while 
an application is pending.
  Fourth, the American Dream and Promise Act establishes a fee ceiling 
of $1,140 for people with TPS or DED applying for LPR status.
  Fifth, the legislation provides greater transparency by requiring the 
Secretary of the Homeland Security (DHS) to provide an explanation for 
and report within three days of publishing notice to terminate TPS 
designation for certain nationals.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 6 is exceptional legislation and a welcome 
development but is not a substitute for undertaking the comprehensive 
reform and modernization of the nation's immigration laws supported by 
the American people.
  Only Congress can do that and passage of H.R. 6 shows that this House 
has the will and is up to the challenge.
  Comprehensive immigration reform is desperately needed to ensure that 
Lady Liberty's lamp remains the symbol of a land that welcomes 
immigrants to a community of immigrants and does so in a manner that 
secures our borders and protects our homeland.
  Mr. Speaker, let us build on the historic legislation that is the 
American Dream and Promise Act and seize the opportunity to pass 
legislation that secures our borders, preserves America's character as 
the most open and welcoming country in the history of the world, and 
will yield hundreds of billions of dollars in economic growth.
  I urge all Members to join me in voting for H.R. 6, the American 
Dream and Promise Act of 2021.
  Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 45 seconds to the distinguished 
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen).
  Mr. COHEN. Madam Speaker, when we came to Congress, my class of 2006 
was offered the opportunity to go to Harvard University for a seminar. 
We were told there that one of the greatest problems facing this 
country was the lack of workers, that our birthrate was declining, and 
that we need more people to come to this country and more workers to 
supply our workforce and our economy. Those situations have not gotten 
better.
  These Dreamers are trained in America. They have been educated in 
America. They are talented. They are smart. We are not only doing the 
right thing by giving them this pathway to citizenship, but we are 
doing the right thing for America because we need their talent to make 
this country even greater.
  That is why I support the Dreamers act.
  Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 45 seconds to the distinguished 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Stanton).
  Mr. STANTON. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6, the American 
Dream and Promise Act. Dreamers have been waiting far too long for 
meaningful congressional action.
  By passing H.R. 6, we are telling Dreamers all over our country: We 
see you, we hear you, and we know your home is here in the United 
States of America.
  Arizona is fortunate to have nearly 24,000 DACA recipients. They are 
teachers, community organizers, and essential workers contributing 
greatly to our economy. In this pandemic, they make sure our grocery 
store shelves are stocked and our families are fed. They work long 
shifts in COVID hospital wings and now are vaccinating our communities.
  That is who they are, giving back and contributing an estimated $240 
million in taxes yearly in Arizona alone. Dreamers are essential to 
rebuilding our economy, and it is long past time we put them on a path 
to citizenship.
  Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Garcia).
  Mr. GARCIA of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition 
to H.R. 6.
  As a first-generation American, I know firsthand the opportunities 
that America provides. I understand why every person on this planet 
should want to come to this beautiful country. We are a land of 
immigrants, built on hard work, and blessed by freedoms that are 
protected by law and order and secured by our Constitution.
  I sympathize with the Dreamers, I really do, but this bill should not 
be considered before addressing our broken immigration system that led 
to this very problem. Providing amnesty to Dreamers while ignoring the 
crisis at the border is like cleaning up spilled water before fixing 
the broken pipe.
  If Congress fails to reform our immigration system and fails to 
secure our borders, future migrants will be subjected to the same 
situation in which Dreamers today find themselves.
  We need to fix our broken immigration system and secure our borders.
  If my colleagues are sincere about their care and passion for the 
Dreamers, they should work with us to secure the border today so that 
the Dreamers have a chance tomorrow.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Pelosi), the distinguished Speaker of the House.
  Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and 
once again, I salute him for his leadership.
  This is the third bill in 2 days that he has brought to the floor, 
yesterday for the ERA and Violence Against Women Act, and today, here 
we are with this legislation for the Dreamers.
  Madam Speaker, this issue is near and dear to my heart but, more 
importantly, to my head. This is so important for our country.

[[Page H1521]]

  Three years ago, I came to the floor and spoke about our Dreamers for 
8 hours and 6 minutes. Have no fear, I will not use my Speaker's minute 
to that extent today. But I wish I could because I have so much to say 
about what Dreamers mean to America.
  I rise with tremendous pride, joy, and hope this day as the House 
prepares to take this momentous step forward for our democracy by 
passing H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act.
  I want to salute some of our leaders in Congress. As I acknowledged 
Mr. Nadler, the distinguished chair of the committee, let us also 
acknowledge Lucille Roybal-Allard, the godmother of this legislation, 
who carries forth a commitment to the newcomers to our country in her 
DNA, the same commitment of her father, the late Chairman Ed Roybal, as 
he championed newcomers to our Nation.
  She has been with this legislation for 20 years that I know of, and 
it was she and Howard Berman who introduced it initially a generation 
ago. Ten years ago, she authored this legislation, and we were 
successful on the floor. We were successful in passing it in the House 
because of the leadership of Congresswoman Roybal-Allard but also 
Chairwoman Nydia Velazquez, who at the time was the chair of the 
Hispanic Caucus. The Hispanic Caucus really led the way and taught the 
Congress about what Dreamers mean to America, in case that had not been 
within the experience of our Members.
  In this legislation today, Nydia Velazquez has the ``promise.'' This 
is Dreamers and promise. She has the promise, TPS and DED--again, very 
important to our country.
  Yvette Clarke, from the Congressional Black Caucus, who is very much 
a part of all of this today, has the TPS piece of this.
  I was so pleased to hear this morning CAPAC, the Congressional Asian 
Pacific American Caucus, have Congresswoman Strickland, of African-
American and Korean descent, speak in terms of what this means to the 
Asian Pacific American community, something that Chair Judy Chu reminds 
us of every day.

  This has now gone beyond the Hispanic Caucus, the Black Caucus, the 
Asian Pacific Caucus, and to all of us in the Congress. This 
legislation is protecting Dreamers and TPS and DED recipients and 
honors the truth that immigrants are the constant reinvigoration of our 
country. When they come here with their hopes and dreams and 
aspirations, these parents bringing their children, their hopes and 
dreams and aspirations for a better future for their children, that 
courage, that determination, those aspirations are American traits. 
They all make America more American with all of that.
  Indeed, they are true and legitimate heirs, these Dreamers are, of 
our Founders. E pluribus unum, from many, one, we talk about that all 
the time. Many in this Chamber have been part of the fight to protect 
our patriotic Dreamers for years.
  As I said, when I stood here for 8 hours and 6 minutes, the longest 
speech on record in the House in history, I was reading letters that 
Members were handing me about the story of the Dreamers. As Mr. Stanton 
mentioned, they are teachers, professionals, CEOs, entrepreneurs. They 
contribute to our community in every way. I was so pleased to hear him 
talk about that because one of the first meetings I ever went to about 
Dreamers was under the leadership of one of the predecessors of our 
Members from Arizona, Congressman Ed Pastor. Chairman Pastor, Mr. 
Grijalva, and Harry Mitchell, all three, had a meeting at Arizona State 
University about helping these young people. That was in 2007.
  So, this has been going on for a while. Next month, as I mentioned, 
marks the 20th year since the Dream Act was introduced by Congresswoman 
Roybal-Allard, and it was on a bipartisan basis. When we passed it 10 
years ago, it was on a bipartisan basis. Sadly, we couldn't prevail 
with 60 votes in the Senate. But since then, millions of Americans have 
come together to organize and mobilize for Dreamers: labor leaders, the 
business community, faith organizations, national security officials, 
law enforcement, and more.
  We often talk about Dreamers having the support of the three Bs: 
badges, in terms of law enforcement; Bible, in terms of faith-based; 
and the business community.
  The true VIPs of the moment are the Dreamers and immigrants who have 
spoken out with great dignity and eloquence, refusing to be forced back 
into the shadows.
  This determination has made a difference. It is their courage that is 
sending this legislation to the Senate and then to the President's 
desk.
  Before I close, I want to acknowledge the work of Congresswoman Zoe 
Lofgren, the chair of the Immigration Subcommittee of the Judiciary 
Committee. Zoe Lofgren is also the chair of House Administration, so I 
call her Madam Chair-Madam Chair. She has taught immigration law. She 
has been an immigration lawyer, and she chairs the Immigration 
Subcommittee. We could not be better served than by her intricate 
knowledge of immigration law, both on this legislation and legislation 
we will take up later, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act. I thank 
Zoe Lofgren for that.
  Again, Dreamers and TPS and DED recipients are American in every way. 
They have lived and worked in our country for decades, if not their 
entire lives. They are an integral thread in the fabric of our Nation. 
For the Dreamers, it is less time, for others more.
  Dreamers power our businesses, our economy, and are CEOs and 
taxpayers, all of them. They advance innovation and America's 
technological edge as entrepreneurs and researchers. They protect our 
national security, military might, and servicemembers and civilian 
experts.
  That is why I am so grateful to Chair Roybal-Allard, Chair Velazquez, 
Chair Judy Chu, and Congresswoman Strickland for advancing this 
legislation to help Dreamers and TPS and DED recipients.

                              {time}  1345

  So many on the front lines of the pandemic are frontline healthcare 
workers and first responders; transportation, sanitation, and food 
workers; and teachers. They give so much to our country.
  These immigrant communities strengthen, enrich, and ennoble our 
Nation, and they must be allowed to stay. There is nothing partisan 
about protecting Dreamers and TPS and DED recipients.
  The Dream Act has long had bipartisan support in both Chambers. 
Support for TPS and DED recipients is also bipartisan in the country. 
Nearly three-quarters of the public support a path to citizenship.
  I always love to quote President Reagan. In his last speech as 
President of the United States, this was his last message as President 
to the American people. He said: ``Thanks to each wave of new arrivals 
to this land of opportunity, we are a nation forever young, forever 
bursting with energy and new ideas, and always on the cutting edge, 
always leading the world to the next frontier. This quality is vital to 
our future as a nation. If we ever closed the door to new Americans, 
our leadership in the world would soon be lost.''
  I urge a bipartisan vote.
  Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, may I inquire as to the amount of time 
remaining for each side.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. DeGette). The gentleman from Ohio has 13 
minutes. The gentleman from New York has 14\3/4\ minutes.
  Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 45 seconds to the distinguished 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Jones).
  Mr. JONES. Madam Speaker, I swear, sometimes I stand in this Chamber 
and feel like I am in the Twilight Zone, listening to a number of my 
Republican colleagues espouse white supremacist ideology to denigrate 
our wonderful Dreamers.
  I am over here standing with a clear understanding that this bill 
does not go far enough.
  I want to share the story of a constituent of mine, Mr. Paul 
Pierrilus, of our Spring Valley, New York, community, who was deported 
to Haiti, a country where he had never even been, in apparent defiance 
of the President's 100-day executive order.
  We need a bill that goes further. I am going to vote for this, but we 
need a bill that goes further, that forgives people who make mistakes.

[[Page H1522]]

  Mr. Pierrilus, in his case, made a mistake in his early 20s. We need 
a bill that allows him to return home, and I am going to be fighting 
for that moving forward.
  Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I will tell you what this bill does. Page 
51, section 310: ``Grant program to assist eligible applicants. The 
Secretary shall establish, within U.S. Citizen and Immigration 
Services, a program to award grants.''
  So while there is a disaster on the border, so much so that we have 
to send FEMA there, this bill not only gives amnesty to illegals, it 
uses American tax dollars to help the illegals apply for amnesty.
  Such a deal for the American taxpayer. That is what this legislation 
does. That is what this bill is about.
  At a time when we have chaos on the border, this bill gives amnesty 
to 3 million illegals and uses American tax dollars to help those same 
illegals apply for the amnesty. I mean, the disrespect that the 
Democrats have for the American taxpayer is astounding to me. It is 
truly astounding.
  I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Herrell).
  Ms. HERRELL. Madam Speaker, I find the name of this bill, the 
American Dream and Promise Act, to be quite a nightmare because while 
this may be a bill that will help some, it destroys the dreams of the 
American children.
  The contradiction and the hypocrisy in this entire bill can be summed 
up in this way: I have heard over and over, Madam Speaker, these 
Dreamers are frontline workers; they have been in harm's way; they have 
helped with this pandemic. Yet, we are going to open the border and 
allow people into our country that do not have a COVID test. We are 
putting our Dreamers in harm's way. I find the hypocrisy of this bill 
somewhat puzzling.
  But I also want to point out that this bill allows those convicted of 
dangerous crimes, including MS-13 and other gang members, to receive a 
green card by including the following exceptions if the applicants with 
multiple misdemeanor convictions, even if the crime was violent or 
resulted in death or bodily injury, they can still get a green card. It 
will not take into account violent crimes committed as a juvenile when 
adjudicating the application.
  I strongly urge a ``no'' vote on this bill.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 45 seconds to the distinguished 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Garcia).
  Ms. GARCIA of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the 
American Dream and Promise Act.
  Before I continue with my remarks, I want to remind Mr. Jordan and 
the others across the aisle that no human being is illegal. We are all 
children of God.
  I have dedicated my life to public service to help immigrants who 
come to the U.S. in search of a prosperous and dignified life.
  Since 2001, when the Dream Act was first conceived, Dreamers have 
waited.
  In 2012, DACA enabled eligible young adults to work lawfully, attend 
school, and contribute to society without the constant threat of 
deportation.
  However, Dreamers are still waiting.
  In Texas, over 213,000 Dreamers contribute $963 million in local, 
State, and Federal taxes and have played a critical role in our State's 
response to the COVID pandemic.
  Dreamers have waited.
  It is time for us to deliver. We should treat them with respect. I 
urge passage.
  Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 45 seconds to the distinguished 
gentleman from California (Mr. Correa).
  Mr. CORREA. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Let me just bring back the issue at hand, which is our Dreamers. 
Dreamers are taxpayers. They obey the law. They work. They go to 
school. They are firefighters. They are police officers. They are 
nurses. Dreamers are Jose Angel Garibay.
  This man from my district made the ultimate sacrifice for this United 
States, his adopted country. Orange County's first Iraqi war death, 
Jose Angel Garibay was killed in action on March 23, 2003.
  At the age of 21, Jose became Orange County's first combat casualty 
in Iraq. Jose Angel Garibay did the right thing. He sacrificed his life 
for his country.
  Let us do the right thing and pass this legislation to honor 
Dreamers.
  Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Meuser).
  Mr. MEUSER. Madam Speaker, I thank the ranking member from Ohio, Mr. 
Jordan, for yielding.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today to oppose H.R. 6.
  Under the leadership of President Trump, illegal border crossings 
dropped dramatically, and our border was secured.
  Since taking office, President Biden has halted construction of our 
border wall, attempted a moratorium on deportations, and, in so doing, 
created significant incentives for illegal immigration.
  In February, over 100,000 illegal immigrants were apprehended at our 
southern border, three times the number in the same month the year 
previous.
  Speaking to Border Patrol agents, Republicans and Democrats are told 
the same thing: This is a humanitarian crisis. Violent cartels are 
taking advantage of innocent people to smuggle drugs into our country.
  Yet, the Biden administration placed a gag order on CBP agents. What 
is going on here? Are we going to face the problem, or are we going to 
hide it with gag orders?
  Now Democrats are introducing H.R. 6, which only exacerbates the 
Biden policies at the border by creating the incentive of amnesty with 
no discussion of border security.
  Madam Speaker, it is time for the House to wake up. This is 
disastrous policy, and it is in full view. There is no hiding from it. 
We should oppose H.R. 6 on humanitarian grounds.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 45 seconds to the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Chu).
  Ms. CHU. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 6, the 
American Dream and Promise Act, to put Dreamers and TPS and DED 
immigrants on a path to citizenship.
  These are our friends, neighbors, and colleagues. They have graduated 
from our schools, served in our military, and worked in our 
communities. During the pandemic, they have kept our country running 
with over 200,000 Dreamers and over 130,000 TPS holders in essential 
jobs at hospitals, grocery stores, and schools.
  As the chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, I 
know this is important to so many, including the Asian-American and 
Pacific Islander community, who are 7 percent of the entire population 
but 16 percent of the undocumented. That means there are well over 
100,000 Asian-American immigrants who urgently need relief.
  This bill means so much to so many. I urge a ``yes'' vote for H.R. 6.
  Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. NADLER. I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from 
New York (Ms. Clarke).
  Ms. CLARKE of New York. Madam Speaker, as an original co-lead of this 
legislation, I rise today in support of the bill that is near and dear 
to my heart, H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act.
  As the proud daughter of Jamaican immigrants, I understand the need 
for the American Dream and Promise Act, and more importantly, we need a 
humane and dignified 21st century immigration system. Comprehensive 
immigration reform is what is required.
  Let me be very clear, crystal clear: Our immigration system is 
broken, and the time has come for the values of our Nation to be 
reflected in our immigration policy.
  However, this is not just a moral issue. It is an economic one, as 
well. If COVID-19 has taught us anything, essential workers are the 
lifeblood of our economy. They have risked their lives during a global 
pandemic to serve, support, and protect American communities. We have 
relied on them during this crisis, and it is time to give them a way 
out of the shadows.
  Let's pass H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act. Let's see it 
through the Senate, and let's get it signed into law.
  Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Carter).

[[Page H1523]]

  

  Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition of 
this bill because we have a crisis along our southern border.
  We have record numbers of migrants seeking to come into our country. 
The number of unaccompanied children illegally crossing the border 
increased 63 percent last month. This is truly a humanitarian and 
security crisis, but the current administration is not adequately 
addressing it. In fact, they are not addressing it at all.
  Instead of doing more to protect our border, the administration is 
rolling back policies that discourage this kind of mass migration.
  Today, we are considering a bill that does nothing to solve the 
problem. In fact, it shows that there are no repercussions for breaking 
our laws and encourages more to attempt to enter the country illegally.
  We need a comprehensive and bipartisan solution to this crisis that 
discourages entering illegally and rewards following the law.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the distinguished 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Doggett).
  Mr. DOGGETT. Madam Speaker, I rise on behalf of those who teach, who 
heal, who protect, who study; for those whose entrepreneurial talent 
advances our economy--for all of our Dreamers. They have so much to 
contribute and they are American in every way except on paper.
  For so many long years, they have been burdened with uncertainty 
because of the anti-immigrant hysteria whipped up by these Republican 
fanatics. In San Antonio, San Marcos, and Austin I have met with them 
personally; Dreamers in Texas, where releasing their full potential, 
through approval of this bill, would have such benefit to all of us.
  Today let's move forward to reject the Republican nightmare and 
achieve the dream so that these deserving young people may truly share 
in the entire American Dream. This bill must only be the beginning.
  Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Pfluger).
  Mr. PFLUGER. Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 6.
  Bringing an amnesty bill to the floor this week in the middle of a 
complete and total crisis on our southern border is not only tone-deaf; 
it is wrong.
  I traveled to the border on Monday and surveyed the facilities, the 
border, and the environment. It is a mess. Thousands of people are 
coming across our borders illegally.
  If we really cared about children, we would be looking at the 
policies that are incentivizing the drug cartels, the traffickers, the 
coyotes that are bringing them across, exploiting them in every way. It 
is heartbreaking.
  Some wish our Nation harm, including the individuals who have been 
found out to be on the terror watch list who have been apprehended 
crossing the border.
  This bill will only incentivize more illegal crossings. What a week 
to put this bill to a vote.
  We cannot begin to address the issues we are facing when our border 
is broken. I implore my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to 
work with us in a bipartisan manner to secure the border and then move 
on.

                              {time}  1400

  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the distinguished 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee).
  Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, first of all, let me say that I 
rise in strong support of H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act. I 
thank Congresswoman Roybal-Allard, Chairman Nadler, and Chairwoman 
Lofgren for advancing this legislation and supporting our Dreamers.
  It is time that we protect these young people who have never called 
any other country than America home. Dreamers and individuals eligible 
for TPS or Deferred Enforcement Departure contribute mightily to their 
communities and to our economy. They deserve a pathway to citizenship.
  Now, the Dreamers in my State of California and in my Congressional 
district have made so many contributions under very scary and difficult 
circumstances.
  Madam Speaker, yes, they are as American as I am. I ask for an 
``aye'' vote.
  Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the distinguished 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Green).
  Mr. GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, my constituent, Mr. Jose Escobar, 
was living his American Dream, married to an American-born woman, two 
American-born children, living in an American-built house, paying 
American taxes. Yet when he reported to ICE, he was taken out of the 
arms of his wife and babies, sent to El Salvador with $20 and the 
clothes on his back. It took us more than 2 years to get him home, but 
I went to El Salvador with his wife, and we brought him home.
  Madam Speaker, I will support this legislation because I want no one 
else to experience what Mr. Jose Escobar experienced.
  Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the distinguished 
gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Leger Fernandez).
  Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Madam Speaker, I rise for every child who was 
ever raised in this beautiful country but told they are not American; 
for every Dreamer who has lived in fear that they will be forced from 
the only home they have ever known.
  Madam Speaker, Dreamers are teachers, students, and healthcare 
workers. They feed us, care for us, and inspire us. They strengthen our 
economy. Now is the moment. We must give them the same opportunities 
and protections that they deserve as Americans.
  Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Minnesota (Mr. Stauber).
  Mr. STAUBER. Madam Speaker, when I speak to families back home, they 
understand that there are individuals and children in the country who 
were brought here through no fault of their own. They are understanding 
and compassionate people who want a solution that is fair and just. But 
something that I also hear from these same families is their concern 
and fear for providing green cards and paths to citizenship to gang 
members and criminals.
  The text of this bill only compounds those fears--preventing the 
United States Government from using readily available information to 
remove gang members who are national security threats and other public 
safety threats.
  This motion to recommit ensures that those individuals whose 
applications would be denied on the basis of criminal grounds, national 
security grounds, public safety risks, or as gang members, are 
considered by the Department of Homeland Security for removal from the 
United States.
  Madam Speaker, under H.R. 6, information provided in an application 
for a green card may not be used for the purposes of immigration 
enforcement, even if the DHS denies the application or it is withdrawn. 
This means that if an applicant has a murder conviction, a rape 
conviction, or if the applicant is a gang member, and DHS knows about 
it because of the application, DHS can't even refer that person for 
removal.
  To be clear, this MTR does not direct the DHS to remove an applicant 
if they are denied on any other basis. Only applicants who are denied 
on criminal or national security grounds as public safety risks or as 
gang members would be affected.
  As crime rates skyrocket in cities across the country, the American 
people are asking for serious solutions. They are crying out for help. 
And this bill only further enables murderers, rapists, and gang members 
to exploit our system.
  If the Democrats see fit to listen to the American people and exclude 
these criminals and gang members from receiving green cards under H.R. 
6, then they should vote for this motion to recommit to ensure 
dangerous individuals are denied a safe haven here in our neighborhoods 
and communities where our children go to school and play.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, may I inquire how much time is remaining?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from New York has 8\3/4\ 
minutes remaining. The gentleman from Ohio has 6 minutes remaining.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Espaillat).

[[Page H1524]]

  

  Mr. ESPAILLAT. Madam Speaker, I rise to support H.R. 6, the American 
Dream and Promise Act.
  Madam Speaker, how hypocritical and shameful of the other side of the 
aisle. They want to deny Dreamers, yet those Dreamers provide education 
and daycare services for their children.
  They want to deny Dreamers, but those Dreamers take care of their 
frail and elderly parents.
  They want to deny Dreamers, but their parents pick the crops and the 
fruits that they eat at their table.
  Madam Speaker, how hypocritical. They want to deny Dreamers, yet 
those Dreamers, as members of the National Guard, protected us right 
here against an angry, racist mob.
  Madam Speaker, I know that too well because I came to this Nation 
without any papers. And I sit as a Member of Congress and my vote is 
equal to any of their votes. It is equal to any of their votes because, 
in this country, you can dream and it has promise.

  Madam Speaker, we will not go back. We will continue to move forward. 
I support H.R. 6.
  Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the distinguished 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Garcia).
  Mr. GARCIA of Illinois. Madam Speaker, this bill is critical for 
millions. That is why I supported it in the previous Congress, but it 
also contains some deep flaws that perpetuate racial injustice. I, 
along with 47 Members, worked to eliminate those racially motivated 
barriers to legalization from this bill. These harmful provisions will 
deny immigrant youth a better future.
  In this moment of racial reckoning, we have missed an opportunity. 
Yet I will vote for this bill, and I urge support because we can do 
better so that every immigrant child has a fair chance to call America 
home.
  Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Arrington).
  Mr. ARRINGTON. Madam Speaker, don't ask the President. Ask the people 
of Texas and they will tell you the truth. Biden's unilateral actions 
are the cause for this unprecedented crisis.
  My Democrat colleagues' response to their fellow Americans: An 
amnesty that will only add fuel to the fire of the burning chaos at the 
southern border.
  Madam Speaker, how did we go from America first to America last in 
just days?
  Taken together, these perverse incentives will further encourage 
lawlessness, enrich cartels, enable the abuse and exploitation of the 
most vulnerable people, cheat those who have respected our process, 
compromise the health and safety of the American people, and undermine 
the sovereignty and security of our great Nation.
  Madam Speaker, don't ask the President. Ask the people of Texas and 
they will tell you the truth. The cartels are in control at the border 
and the left is in control of the Democrat party.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from 
Massachusetts (Ms. Pressley).
  Ms. PRESSLEY. Madam Speaker, I thank Chairman Nadler for yielding.
  Madam Speaker, the tragic events of this week underscore both our 
responsibility and the urgency we must move to legislate our values and 
to stand on the side of justice.
  I represent Massachusetts Seventh, a district which is 40 percent 
immigrants. I rise today in solidarity with them.
  H.R. 6 is a critical step towards citizenship for Dreamers, TPS, and 
DED holders. However, the criminal bar provisions added to this bill 
further entangles our racist criminal legal system in the citizenship 
process.
  I thank Congressman Garcia and partners for leading the fight to 
eliminate this language. There is more work to be done, but this bill 
moves us in the right direction of a more just America, one which 
values the lives of immigrants and not just their labor.
  Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
Michigan (Mrs. McClain).
  Mrs. McCLAIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today because I am absolutely 
furious. Every single day, 5,000 new illegal aliens cross our southern 
border. Every single day, more men, more women and children are 
smuggled across our border and being trafficked. Every single day, the 
drug cartels and human traffickers are raping and abusing our women and 
children. One out of three of these women and children are being raped.
  I ask the administration this: How is that not a crisis?
  Madam Speaker, for almost 2 months, our Nation has refused to call 
this a crisis, what is occurring at our border. You cannot solve a 
problem unless you first admit there is a problem; and we have a 
problem. This bill today does nothing to solve that problem or even 
acknowledge that we have a problem.
  We, as a Congress, need to say in unison: We have a crisis at our 
border.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the distinguished 
gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky).
  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, there is no doubt the American Dream 
and Promise Act will bring much-needed relief to our Dreamers and our 
immigrant communities, and I will be voting for the bill.
  However, many of my constituents are disappointed that H.R. 6 
includes harsh exclusions that will block many of our long-term members 
of our community from citizenship simply because of misdeeds, mistakes 
that they made years and years ago. I will continue to advocate for 
them.
  Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, if we adopt the motion to recommit, we 
will instruct the Committee on the Judiciary to consider the amendment 
to H.R. 6 to ensure that gang members do not receive any benefits under 
the underlying bill and are swiftly removed from the country.
  Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to include the text of my 
amendment in the Record immediately prior to the vote on the motion to 
recommit.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Ohio?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the distinguished 
gentleman from California (Mr. Ruiz).
  Mr. RUIZ. Madam Speaker, I, and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus 
rise in support of H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act, which 
will make an incredible positive difference for our Nation.
  It is precisely now, during a pandemic, when we need this 
legislation. Dreamers are doctors, nurses, lab technicians, contact 
tracers, and job creators. Dreamers are on the front lines of the 
COVID-19 pandemic. They strengthen our economy and they make 
invaluable contributions to America.

  Madam Speaker, the American Dream and Promise Act will provide a 
pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, TPS holders, and DED recipients. 
We must pass this bill today.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 15 seconds to the 
gentleman from California.
  Mr. RUIZ. Madam Speaker, I thank the Congressional Hispanic Caucus 
members, Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, Congresswoman Nydia 
Velazquez, as well as Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, for their remarkable 
efforts on this piece of legislation.
  Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Hice).
  Mr. HICE of Georgia. Madam Speaker, there is an unprecedented crisis 
at the southern border. Literally, hundreds of thousands of illegal 
immigrants are crossing into the United States, stretching our patrol 
officers and enforcement down there to a breaking point.
  In February of this year, over 100,000 illegals were apprehended. 
That is a 28 percent increase from the year before. And I guarantee 
you, it is only going to get worse. The projections are even more than 
that this coming month.
  Illegal border crossings are now five times higher than before 
President Biden was inaugurated. And this is all fueled by the ``open 
border'' policies of this administration promising amnesty, ending the 
wall construction, halting deportations, handcuffing our law 
enforcement, and undermining border security.
  President Trump gave President Biden a secure southern border, and in

[[Page H1525]]

less than 3 months, it has been dismantled. This is absolute insanity.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the 
gentleman from Georgia.
  Mr. HICE of Georgia. Madam Speaker, meanwhile, here in Washington, 
the Democratic majority is cheerfully pushing more legislation to 
incentivize more illegals coming here. We have this bill promoting 
amnesty. We are literally exalting illegals in this country over those 
who have waited years to become citizens.
  Madam Speaker, this is not rocket science. The Democratic party knows 
this is going to create a greater crisis, and they simply don't care. 
It is time to stop fueling the crisis and start solving it.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''

                              {time}  1415

  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, how much time do we have remaining?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from New York has 5\1/2\ 
minutes remaining. The gentleman from Ohio has 2 minutes remaining.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the distinguished 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cuellar).
  Mr. CUELLAR. Madam Speaker, I rise in favor of Dreamers who call the 
U.S. home. Dreamers are our neighbors, our colleagues, our classmates. 
They are individuals that serve as essential workers, teachers, medical 
personnel, that fully contribute to our country and make America 
stronger. They pay taxes. They work. They have no criminal record. They 
help us, and those are the type of individuals that we need.
  Madam Speaker, my question is: Why are we afraid of a 7-year-old?
  Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the distinguished 
gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Manning).
  Ms. MANNING. Madam Speaker, I rise today as the granddaughter of 
immigrants in support of the American Dream and Promise Act. We need a 
pathway to citizenship for Dreamers who arrived in the United States as 
children and know this country as their only home; for TPS recipients 
who, like my grandparents, sought refuge in the United States when 
crises in their home countries put their very lives at risk.
  These are doctors, nurses, first responders, who cared for us during 
the pandemic. Many have served bravely as members of our military.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' for our friends 
and neighbors who yearn to become citizens of the country they already 
call home.
  Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Suozzi).
  Mr. SUOZZI. Madam Speaker, 100 years ago my father was born in a 
small medieval village in the mountaintops of southern Italy. He came 
to America as a young boy, and in his St. Dominic's High School 
yearbook, he wrote that his goal in life was to become a real American.
  Twenty-seven years ago, I served as the young mayor of my hometown of 
Glen Cove. I addressed the issue of a growing population of new 
immigrants from Central and South America who gathered on street 
corners looking for daywork by creating the first dayworkers' site 
anywhere on the East Coast of the United States of America.
  Today, those same men who gathered on street corners have their own 
businesses, own homes, their children went to school with my children. 
One Dreamer from El Salvador who graduated from high school with my 
daughter went on to graduate from college with a degree in biomedical 
engineering, got a master's in biomedical engineering, and is now 
pursuing a doctorate in the same subject.
  Today, I will support the American Dream and Promise Act for Mario, 
and for Nelson, and for all the other Dreamers whose goal is like my 
father's, to be a real American.
  Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Louisiana (Mr. Scalise), the distinguished whip.
  Mr. SCALISE. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio for 
yielding.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this amnesty bill. And 
if you look at what is happening at our southern border right now, 
America is facing a serious crisis. Our southern border is being 
overrun, the facilities, the detention centers that are set up to hold 
people who are coming across, are being overwhelmed.
  In fact, if you listen to what the border agents are telling us, it 
is total mayhem, to quote one of the border agents. Many facilities are 
not at 100 percent or 200 percent or 300 percent capacity, but even 
worse than that. There are kids who aren't getting enough food, who 
aren't being able to shower more than once a week.
  This is going on in American detention facilities today, and 
President Biden refuses to acknowledge the problem. Part of dealing 
with the problem is to first admit there is a problem, and President 
Biden doesn't even want to acknowledge it.
  And then on the heels of this border crisis that is going on right 
now, there is a bill on the House floor to create amnesty, to create a 
bigger magnet, saying, come to the southern border.
  The Homeland Security Secretary has been pressed repeatedly the last 
few days to tell people to stop coming across the border illegally, and 
he won't do it. He says, Well, they will come right now. As if there is 
a time to break the law.
  Let's get back to legal immigration, a system that actually works for 
America. But when you have a crisis at the border, the last thing you 
should do is make it worse. That is what this bill does.
  We should be having an honest conversation about how to make our 
legal system of immigration work; not how to ignite a crisis at the 
border and make it worse. We know how bad it is over there. In fact, 
because of the encouragement to cross the border illegally, there are 
caravans of young kids coming across, and reports that up to a third of 
all the women coming across are being sexually assaulted on the 
journey. Stop this humanitarian crisis. Reject this bill.
  Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  We do have a crisis in this country: the crisis consists of a 
shortage of workers. As our birth rate goes down, as our aging goes up, 
we have fewer and fewer workers. And since economists tell us that the 
number of workers is what produces prosperity, this is a crisis for the 
country.

  Fortuitously, we have a situation where we have several million 
people in this country who are Americans, who have lived almost their 
entire lives in America, who, as was mentioned before, find out they 
weren't born in this country only when they apply for a driver's 
license when they are 18 years old. They are a resource for this 
country, and they ought to be legalized, which is what this bill does, 
so that we can utilize their talents properly and remain under rule of 
law.
  Madam Speaker, organizations, associations, and industry leaders from 
across the political spectrum support passage of H.R. 6, the American 
Dream and Promise Act of 2021. They include among them: United We 
Dream, Service Employees International, the AFL-CIO--and these unions 
do not fear competition, they know it is good--the U.S. Conference of 
Catholic Bishops, United States Chamber of Commerce, Apple, and the 
National Education Association.
  After closing the books on 4 years of disastrous and inhumane 
immigration policies, today we begin a new chapter, one based on 
compassion, reason, and the fundamental values we hold dear as 
Americans.
  Passage of H.R. 6 is long overdue. Today's vote will dictate the 
future of millions of Dreamers and recipients of the TPS and DED and 
will greatly help the economy of this country.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in support of the 
American Dream and Promise Act of 2021, and I yield back the balance of 
my time.
  Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I'm proud to support H.R. 6, the American 
Dream and

[[Page H1526]]

Promise Act to ensure that millions of young Americans can remain in 
the only country they've ever known and loved.
  The bill provides a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, young people 
who came to the U.S. as children without legal status. It provides 
conditional legal status for ten years to those with a high school 
diploma or equivalent credential, and they must pay a fee and pass a 
background check. They can also earn permanent legal status if they 
attend college, work lawfully, or serve in the military.
  I supported President Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals 
(DACA) program which provided temporary legal status and work permits 
to over 650,000 young people, but only Congress can provide permanent 
legal status and a pathway to citizenship through statute. After 
putting their faith in the government when they registered for DACA and 
enduring the Trump Administration's three-year legal battle to end this 
program, these young people deserve the certainty of a permanent 
solution.
  The American Dream and Promise Act also provides permanent legal 
status to recipients of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred 
Enforced Departure (DED), programs that provide temporary legal status 
to immigrants from countries experiencing war, natural disasters, or 
other ongoing crises.
  Many of the individuals I've described are longtime U.S. residents 
who contribute to their communities and our economy and are Americans 
in all but name. Our legislation provides them with an earned pathway 
to citizenship so they can be legally recognized as full members of 
society and no longer live in fear of deportation. They deserve this, 
and I urge all Members to support the American Dream and Promise Act.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this bill, 
the Dream and Promise Act. Let me thank Speaker Pelosi, Chairman 
Nadler, Chairwoman Lofgren, Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, and Rep. Yvette 
Clarke for all their work to make humane immigration reform a priority.
  I am a proud co-author of the Dream and Promise Act, which will 
finally give peace of mind to millions who are American in every way 
but on paper by providing a pathway to citizenship. These are Dreamers, 
TPS, and DED recipients, yes. But they are also our co-workers, 
friends, family members and hardworking, law-abiding members of our 
communities.
  And under this bill, we can shield qualifying recipients of TPS, DED 
and DACA from deportation and create a more comprehensive pathway to 
citizenship.
  So, let's do the right thing, the American thing, and pass this bill.
  Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 
6, the DREAM and PROMISE Act of 2021. This timely legislation would 
finally provide a solution to the millions of immigrants who have faced 
uncertainty on their legal status for too long as a result of this 
country's broken immigration system.
  When I was young and our family had the opportunity to travel to go 
see family or to see the country, I did not have a say in where we went 
or how long we stayed there. I was a child. Simply put, this was not my 
decision. Similarly, the children of undocumented immigrants who were 
brought to our country did not have a say on where their parents were 
bringing them, or how long they would be staying here. They were 
innocent children.
  And while we've debated for over two decades on meaningful 
immigration reform, these individuals have had the opportunity to grow 
up with our children and families, attend the same schools and 
universities, have families of their own, and make immeasurable 
contributions to our communities. DREAMERs have been able to live the 
American Dream in every way but one--on paper.
  The legislation that we are debating today not only provides a 
pathway to legalization and citizenship for these individuals but also 
to those who fled political unrest and natural disasters in their home 
countries. Currently protected under TPS (Temporary Protected Status), 
these individuals face the same uncertainty about their futures as 
DREAMERs. And like DREAMERs, they too have been in our country for 
decades and play a critical role in the success of our communities.
  DREAM and PROMISE Act of 2021 is widely popular--supported by a 
majority of Americans--and, notably, bipartisan. It is backed by 
business leaders, labor unions, and educators alike. Some of its 
advocates are my constituents, who have told their stories and inspired 
me with their commitment and unwavering dedication to their work, their 
families, our community in North Texas, and to the country they call 
home, the United States of America.
  Madam Speaker, I strongly believe that we must act now and pass 
legislation to offer a common-sense and logical solution to our broader 
immigration issues. The DREAM and PROMISE Act would take a meaningful 
step towards that goal and would lay out a path in which we could do 
that, which is why I urge my colleagues to support it and look forward 
to the Senate's immediate consideration.
  Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Madam Speaker, today, I am pleased to rise in 
support of the American Dream and Promise Act (H.R. 6) to provide 
permanent protections for Dreamers and those currently protected by 
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) 
programs.
  Over the past few years, the lives of these Dreamers, who have 
largely known no other home than the United States, have been filled 
with even greater uncertainly and court challenges. This bill aims to 
permanently change that and give security and a pathway to citizenship 
for our Dreamers.
  The vast majority of DACA-eligible students over the age of 18 
received a high school education here. Our nation has made an 
investment in their future that not only transformed their lives, but 
also has resulted in widespread economic and other benefits for our 
country and communities. A few years ago, it was estimated that if 
Wisconsin's DACA workers were deported, it would cost the state more 
than $400 million annually.
  Despite this uncertainty and outright hateful opposition from the 
previous administration, these young men and women remain resolute and 
many have served on the frontlines--as health care professionals and 
other essential workers--during this deadly pandemic.
  We successfully defended against ill-advised efforts to end DACA. Now 
it is time to take the next step. We need to ensure that DREAMers can 
continue enriching our country.
  Likewise, TPS holders have also seen their lives thrown into turmoil 
during an already turbulent time, with their fate depending on a series 
of court decisions. Like Dreamers, TPS holders are active members of 
their communities, many have lived here for years, and are critical 
contributors to our economy.
  It's always the right time to do the right thing. Now is the right 
time to provide permanent protections and a pathway to citizenship for 
those who have contributed so much to our country. I am pleased to 
support this bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 233, the 
previous question is ordered on the bill, as amended.
  The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the bill.
  The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was 
read the third time.


                           Motion to Recommit

  Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the motion to 
recommit.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Mr. Jordan moves to recommit the bill H.R. 6 to the 
     Committee on the Judiciary.

  The material previously referred to by Mr. Jordan is as follows:

       Page 10, after line 8, insert the following:
       (C) The Secretary knows or has reason to believe that the 
     alien is or has been a member of a criminal street gang (as 
     defined in subsection (a) of section 521 of title 18, United 
     States Code), or to have participated in the activities of a 
     criminal street gang knowing or having reason to know that 
     such activities will promote, further, aid, or support the 
     illegal activity of the criminal gang. For purposes of this 
     subparagraph, the Secretary may consider any and all credible 
     evidence of membership or participation in a criminal street 
     gang, including evidence obtained from a State or Federal 
     data base used for the purpose of recording and sharing 
     activities of alleged gang members across law enforcement 
     agencies.
       Page 13, strike line 11 and all that follows through line 
     19.
       Page 55, after line 18, insert the following:

     SEC. 314. TREATMENT OF CERTAIN ALIENS FOUND INELIGIBLE FOR 
                   ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS.

       Notwithstanding sections 102(e), 202(d)(3), and 309 of this 
     Act, an alien whose application would be denied based on 
     criminal, national security, gang, or public safety grounds, 
     as set out in section 102(c) or 202(a)(3) of this Act, shall 
     be referred by the Secretary of Homeland Security for a 
     determination of whether the alien should be placed in 
     removal proceedings under section 240 of the Immigration and 
     Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1229a).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XIX, the 
previous question is ordered on the motion to recommit.
  The question is on the motion to recommit.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the noes appeared to have it.
  Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this question 
are postponed.

[[Page H1527]]

  Pursuant to clause 1(c) of rule XIX, further consideration of H.R. 6 
is postponed.

                          ____________________