By a margin of 237-187, the House passed a bill providing permanent protections to Dreamers, TPS, and DED holders.
Seven Republicans joined with Democrats in voting for the legislation, and no Democrats voted against it.
Before the vote, Speaker Pelosi said, “We are pleased this legislation opens the door to opportunity to TPS and DED recipients who are American in every way – raising families, starting businesses, contributing to our communities, fighting in our wars over decades. And once we pass this bill, we will fight – we want it to pass the Senate and be signed by the President – but we want it to be a bridge to understanding why we need comprehensive immigration reform for an immigration system that embraces the contributions of our newcomers. Protecting Dreamers and TPS and DED Americans is about honoring the respect for family that is the heart of our faith and at the heart of who we are as Americans.”
This is a historic day. Advocacy groups have been working for years to get this legislation, and before the negativity begins with the it will never pass the Senate cries, the point is not to get this legislation passed in the Senate and signed by Trump.
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The goal is to move the legislative ball down the field so that if Democrats keep the House and take back the Senate and White House in 2021, this legislation will be ready to be reintroduced, passed, and signed into law quickly.
When the day comes that the permanent protections for Dreamers become law, history will look back and remember the first House passage as the moment when permanent protections for Dreamers took their first step toward becoming a reality.
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Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
