Rome Reporter

Marjorie Taylor Greene was mentioned in AMERICAN DREAM AND PROMISE ACT OF 2021..... on pages H1507-H1527 covering the 1st Session of the 117th Congress published on March 18, 2021 in the Congressional Record.

The publication is reproduced in full below:

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.

(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

(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 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, 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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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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.

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 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.

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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.

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.

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.

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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.

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.

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.

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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.

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).

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).

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 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 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.

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

____________________

SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 51

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