LI Dems Support Dream Act That Cuts Path For New Citizens

Glen Cove NY

19 March, 2021

3:11 PM

Description

WASHINGTON, DC — Long Island's Democratic congressional delegates U.S. reps Thomas Suozzi and Kathleen Rice voted on Thursday to pass the American Dream and Promise Act, which opens a path for dreamers and temporary protected status recipients to obtain citizenship. The measure passed 228-197. The legislation, which goes on to the Senate for a vote next week, would allow some first generation immigrants to apply for conditional permanent residency under certain conditions, which would last for 10 years before they could apply for citizenship. The conditions include a requirement that the applicant would have to have arrived in the U.S. before turning 18 and be in the US for at least four years. They would also need a clean record without any felony conviction or three separate misdemeanors involving total jail time of 90 days, as well as a high school diploma, GED, or be enrolled in a program to attain either one. Temporary protected status recipients would also be allowed to apply for green cards immediately, if they resided in the U.S. for at least three years, and if they were eligible for protection on Sept. 17, 2017. They could apply for citizenship after five years. Suozzi, who is the son of an Italian immigrant, recalled creating day worker sites in Glen Cove City when he was its mayor to address the issue of new Americans gathering on corners looking for work. "Today, those same men who gathered on street corners, have their own businesses, own their own homes, and their children went to school with my children," he said. Suozzi said he supported the legislation for every other immigrant, like his father, whose dream it was "to become a real American." There are 28,000 dreamers living in New York State, Suozzi's office said. Rice, who is descended from Irish immigrants, tweeted that she voted for the legislation because dreamers and residents designated with temporary status "contribute to the country every day" and "make it a better place to live." "With the passage of the bill, I am thrilled that we are one step closer to a pathway for citizenship," she said. Republican congressman Lee Zeldin of Shirley and Andrew Garbarino of Bayport did not support the legislation, but they did vote in support of a measure to close what some lawmakers describe as a loophole allowing the members of violent gangs like MS-13 to gain citizenship. The measure failed 203-216. Republican National Congressional Committee spokeswoman Torunn Sinclair said that House Democrats are refusing to ensure Americans' safety and security by voting against closing the loophole, in a news release that singled out about 50 members of congress, including Suozzi who voted against the legislation. "House Democrats are granting citizenship to illegal immigrants in gangs instead of keeping their constituents safe, and voters will be reminded of that in 2022," Sinclair said.