The American House of Representatives, controlled by the Democrats, approved Thursday, March 18 a text paving the way for the regularization of some 700,000 "Dreamers", who arrived when they were minors in the United States, a bill whose adoption remains very uncertain in the Senate.
"It's high time for Congress to pave the way to citizenship for Dreamers,"
US President Joe Biden tweeted ahead of the vote.
In the lower house, the text was approved by 228 parliamentarians, including nine Republicans, while 197 Republicans voted against.
Read also: The Biden administration overwhelmed by the influx of migrants
The Democrats also have a majority in the Senate but very short which does not allow them to adopt this text without the support of ten Republicans.
A prospect today highly improbable because many in the party believe that such measures would encourage new massive arrivals of undocumented migrants.
These are our teachers, our professionals, our CEOs, our entrepreneurs ”and“ many of them are on the front lines of the pandemic.
"
Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Speaker of the House of Representatives
Under Democratic President Barack Obama, the United States implemented in 2012 the DACA program, intended to protect from deportation these “Dreamers”, who entered illegally during their childhood in the United States, where they live since.
But Donald Trump had canceled it in 2017, opening a period of great uncertainty for these young adults under 30.
In June 2020, the Supreme Court of the United States had inflicted a snub on him by validating this program.
The Democratic bill paves the way for their naturalization, as well as that of holders of temporary protection status (TPS), granted to nationals of countries that are dangerous or hit by natural disasters.
"These are our teachers, our professionals, our CEOs, our entrepreneurs"
and
"many of them are on the front line of the pandemic,"
said in the hemicycle the Democratic President of the House, Nancy Pelosi.
In the process, the chamber approved a text aimed at making it easier to obtain a residence permit for immigrant agricultural workers, with wider support: 247 votes in favor and 174.
Read also: Biden will present from his first day a vast migration reform
For Liz Cheney, number three Republicans in the House, these two laws amount to
"granting an amnesty to millions"
of illegal immigrants.
"We must focus on strengthening the border and improving the legal immigration system
.
"
Joe Biden has pledged sweeping migration reform, which would pave the way for naturalization for some 11 million illegal immigrants.
However, this bill currently has no chance of being adopted in the Senate.
If they promise to continue working on this profound reform, the Democrats have opted for a first vote on these two more targeted laws.