WASHINGTON— Today, Congress passed the Dream and Promise Act, which will provide more than 2.5 million Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Temporary Protected Status (TPS), and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) recipients with legal protections and a pathway to citizenship. After voting in support of the legislation, Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva issued the following statement:

“Today after almost two years of Republican obstructionism, we fulfilled a longstanding promise to protect Dreamers, DED, and TPS recipients after the Trump Administration cruelly upheaved their lives when he ended the DACA program, DED, and TPS for millions of vulnerable immigrants. With this legislation, millions of DACA, DED and TPS recipients can continue owning businesses, attending our schools, working in our communities, and honorably serving in our military without fear of deportation.

“It is nothing short of shameful that a Republican Congress refused to take action and protect these vulnerable individuals and instead chose to hide behind the actions of a cowardly, bigoted President. It’s time for the Senate to stop playing games with the lives of Dreamers, DED, and TPS recipients once and for all and take up this legislation as soon as possible.” 

According to the Center for American Progress, more than 65,400 immigrants are eligible for protection under the Dream and Promise Act and are an economic boon to Arizona’s economy. Eligible recipients and their households pay over $297,800,000 in federal taxes and $187,500,000 in state and local taxes each year in addition to holding over $1.5 billion in spending power.  

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