Washington, United States
The US House of Representatives on Thursday again passed an immigration bill that aims to regularize millions of undocumented youth known as “dreamers” and hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries of TPS (Temporary Protected Status) programs.
The bill passed by 228 votes to (all Democrats and 9 Republicans) and 197 votes against.
Promoters estimate that about 2.5 million young people brought to the country when they were minors by their parents and known as “dreamers” or “dreamers” could benefit from this reform that paves the way for naturalization. impacts.
Former President Barack Obama (2009-2017) first approved a temporary regularization for these youngsters in 2012, but Republicans have taken it to court and it has since been subject to a long legal battle.
In addition to the “dreamers”, the bill also provides a path to citizenship for the TPS, some programs that benefit about 400,000 people, mostly Central Americans and Haitians affected by natural disasters or civil strife.
The document approved Thursday is a version that is very similar to a project that the House of Representatives already approved in 2019, but that the then Senate, under Republican authority, did not pass.
Now the Democrats dominate the Senate, but final approval requires at least 10 Republicans to support it as well, which is uncertain at the moment.
This project is part of the great immigration reform promoted by the White House in Congress that provides for the regularization of 11 million undocumented immigrants, but which lacks the necessary support from the opposition.
Part of this reform is also a second bill on which the House of Representatives wants to vote today and that aims to regularize agricultural workers.
Democrats have chosen to present the reform in pieces because they believe this strategy will allow them to gain more support from the opposition.
However, the leader of the Republicans in the House, Kevin McCarthy, alluded to the current situation at the border with the arrival of tens of thousands of unaccompanied minors and migrant families to justify his opposition to the measure.
“With what’s happening at the border today, it’s probably the worst time the Democrats can offer this,” McCarthy said. EFE