The bill is an essential first step to protect immigrant communities

Atlanta, GA, March 12, 2019 — Today, Congress introduced H.R. 6—The Dream and Promise Act—which would provide permanent protection from deportation for immigrant youth and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) holders. The Dream and Promise Act would provide a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and cancel removal proceedings providing they meet certain criteria. The bill also provides protections for more than 400,000 people with TPS and DED who live and work in the United States.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice, an affiliation of five civil rights organizations, released the following statement:

"Since the Trump Administration’s decision to end DACA and TPS protections, millions of community members’ lives were turned upside down.

As a way to rectify the harms caused by the administration’s decision to end these programs, and as a way to protect members of vulnerable communities moving forward, we call on Congress to pass H.R. 6, the Dream and Promise Act. This permanent legislative solution is necessary to end the state of limbo that has faced over one million immigrants.

There are challenges even within this bill that will still leave some immigrants vulnerable. H.R. 6 does not address family members of DREAM and TPS recipients, nor does it support many of those who have already been deported under the Trump Administration. Any legislation designed to protect our immigrant community needs to do so without any exceptions.

Today’s announcement is a first step towards the full protection that we demand for our communities.”

Contacts: Michelle Boykins 202-296-2300, ext. 0144 mboykins@advancingjustice-aajc.org
Jessica Jinn, (213) 241-8817, jjinn@advancingjustice-la.org
Brandon Lee, (773) 271-0899 x200, blee@advancingjustice-chicago.org
James Woo, (404) 585-8446, jwoo@advancingjustice-atlanta.org
Christina So, (415) 848-7728, christinaso@advancingjustice-alc.org

Asian Americans Advancing Justice is a national affiliation of five leading organizations advocating for the civil and human rights of Asian Americans and other underserved communities to promote a fair and equitable society for all. The affiliation's members are: Advancing Justice - AAJC (Washington, D.C.), Advancing Justice - Asian Law Caucus (San Francisco), Advancing Justice - Los Angeles, Advancing Justice - Atlanta, and Advancing Justice - Chicago.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice–Atlanta is the first and only legal advocacy nonprofit dedicated to the civil rights of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders in Georgia and the Southeast. We work in four major program areas: public policy; legal education and support; civic engagement; and defense of rights FOR Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and other underserved communities.