In 2001, Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) introduced the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, which would create a process by which immigrants could apply for conditional residency that would lead to permanent residency based upon their age of entry into the United States. Despite numerous reintroductions in each Congress from 2001 to 2021, the DREAM Act has failed to pass.
In June 2012, President Obama established the
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
(DACA) policy by executive action. DACA allowed undocumented immigrants
who arrived in the United States at a young age to become eligible for a
work permit, a Social Security card, a driver’s license, and deferred
deportation. The Trump administration
rescinded the policy in September 2017, but subsequent court decisions allowed the program to continue in some form.
Currently, the DACA program is not allowed to accept new applications. The most recent court decision ruled that the Obama administration did not have the authority to create the program and that it is up to Congress to make this important program permanent in some way. ACE advocates on behalf of the Dreamers, urging Congress to pass legislation to grant them permanent legal status and other protections.