Our Bureau
California
A bipartisan group of US lawmakers has urged the Biden administration in a letter to address the crisis concerning more than 250,000 Documented Dreamers – children of long-term visa holders. These Documented Dreamers, a large number of whom are Indians, entered the United States as dependents under their parents’ temporary, non-immigrant visa status, typically work visas.
Despite legally growing up in the US, they age out of their dependent status after turning 21 years old and often face extensive backlog in securing permanent resident status. The letter recommends administrative action to address this issue, including clarifying the use of deferred action on a case-by-case basis and expanding eligibility for Employment Authorization.
The goal is to prevent self-deportation and provide relief for these young individuals who have completed their education in the US and graduated from American institutions. These recommendations are being made to help address the ongoing threats Documented Dreamers face.
The 43 lawmakers have written a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Ur M Jaddou to protect over 250,000 Documented Dreamers. “This is because, in part, their families’ adjustment of status applications face extensive backlogs, preventing them from securing permanent resident status,” the letter said.
The letter follows US Senator Alex Padilla, Chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety, and Representative Deborah Ross’s previous bipartisan legislative push to protect over 250,000 Documented Dreamers through the America’s CHILDREN Act.
