Washington, DC – The Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) commends the House of Representatives for passing the American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 (H.R. 6). The bill is one of the largest legislative efforts thus far to protect and offer a path to citizenship for Dreamers and selected groups of other undocumented immigrants.
Contact Tim McHugh: media@fcnl.org, 202-903-2515
“The Dream and Promise Act provides a real pathway to citizenship for the more than a million members of our society currently trapped in a cruel state of never-ending limbo brought about through the recent wholesale termination of the Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals, Temporary Protected Status, and Deferred Enforced Departure programs,” said FCNL General Secretary Diane Randall. “As Quakers, we see and answer to the Light of God in every person. Our pursuit of just immigration policies starts with this longstanding faith principle.”
The Dream and Promise Act provides a pathway to citizenship for eligible Dreamers who entered the U.S. as children, offering them a chance to earn citizenship through education, employment, or military service. For years, FCNL has been a leading advocate for immigration policy reform and immigrant rights. FCNL’s nationwide Advocacy Corps has worked tirelessly on immigration reform and helped protect the DACA immigration program.
“After years of building walls to block legal citizenship, we now begin the hard work of crafting a sensible, humane solution for migrants unjustly locked out of our outdated immigration system. The Dream and Promise Act breaks down those walls,” said Ali Rahnama, FCNL’s immigration and refugee program legislative manager. “The people this new bill directly impacts are every bit a part of the fabric of our society. They are worthy of nothing less than an accessible pathway to citizenship, to remain with their families, and continue contributing to our communities.”
The legislation now moves to the Senate, where a companion bill is expected to be introduced shortly.
Since 2020, FCNL Advocacy Corps organizers have been working all over the country to help their communities advocate for reforms to national immigration laws.
To learn more, please visit www.fcnl.org.
