After touting it as a bill that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said “is about honoring the respect for family that is the heart of our faith and at the heart of who we are as Americans,” House Democrats unanimously passed H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act of 2019.
Democrats claim that this bill provides a viable, equitable and sustainable path forward for “Dreamers” – people who came to this country illegally before their 18th birthday – and those who were granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) because of a natural disaster or major upheaval in their home countries. Furthermore, Democrats argue this bill “safeguard[s]every person’s right to pursue his or her American dream.”
Unfortunately, these claims are patently false. H.R. 6 is neither a solution to our immigration crisis nor even a genuine attempt at one. Rather, it is a Trojan horse which uses the facade of morality and inclusivity to offer amnesty to 2.7 million illegal aliens without addressing the ongoing crisis at the border or future illegal immigration.
One major flaw in this legislation is the false perception that protected status will only be granted to a limited number of illegal aliens. When Democrats talk about extending amnesty to Dreamers, TPS and DED beneficiaries, they make it sound like only a few hundred thousand people fall under those categories. What they refuse to acknowledge, however, is that their bill’s vague provisions vastly increase the number of illegal aliens who would eventually be placed on a path to citizenship.
Indeed, H.R. 6 creates a path to citizenship for any illegal alien who entered the United States prior to his or her 18th birthday with no upper age limit. Additionally, the bill does not just provide a path to citizenship for the limited number of TPS and DED beneficiaries who currently reside in the United States – it also extends a path to citizenship for those who were once “eligible” for TPS or DED, even if they never applied for those benefits.
To make matters worse, the measure offers few safeguards that would prevent criminal illegal aliens from being legalized as well. Although the bill claims to exclude gang members (even though Democrats rejected a Republican effort to explicitly exclude them), people with criminal records and others who present a risk to public safety, the legislation severely limits the ability of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary to deny applications. Furthermore, it also allows for illegal aliens with DUI convictions, misdemeanor firearms offenses, and even certain drug charges to obtain legal status.
Accordingly, there is nothing “American” about the American Dream and Promise Act of 2019. This bill does not protect, uplift, or safeguard the rights and privileges of American citizens in any way, as Speaker Pelosi would have people believe.
Congress needs to know that the American people deserve real solutions – not Trojan horses.