US revives Dream and Promise Act: Who could qualify for a green card

US lawmakers have revived the Dream and Promise Act. Here's who could qualify if the Bill becomes law

A renewed push in the US Congress has brought the American Dream and Promise Act of 2025 back into focus.

 

It has reopened the debate over a pathway to permanent residency for eligible Dreamers, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients and certain Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) beneficiaries.

 

The latest development does not change US immigration rules immediately. The proposal is still a Bill and has not become law. However, supporters are attempting to force a vote in the House of Representatives through a discharge petition, reviving legislation that has been debated for years.

   

According to official statements issued by Representative Delia C. Ramirez and Representative Sylvia Garcia on July 20, lawmakers launched a discharge petition to bring the Bill to the House floor. A day later, Representative María Elvira Salazar, a Republican co-lead of the bipartisan legislation, also announced that she had signed the petition.

   

Why the Bill is back in the spotlight

   

The discharge petition is a procedural step that allows lawmakers to bypass House leadership and seek a floor vote if enough members support it. The petition must secure signatures from 218 House members before the legislation can be considered by the full House.

   

Even if that happens, the Bill would still need approval from the Senate before being sent to the US President for signature. Until all those steps are completed, the proposal has no legal effect.

   

Who are Dreamers?

   

Dreamers are undocumented immigrants who entered the United States as children, often brought by their parents. Many have lived most of their lives in the country, studied in US schools and are part of the American workforce.

 

Some are protected under the DACA programme introduced in 2012. DACA allows eligible individuals to remain and work in the US temporarily, but it does not provide permanent resident status or a direct route to citizenship.

 

The proposed legislation seeks to bridge that gap by creating a pathway to lawful permanent residence for eligible applicants.

   

What does the Bill propose?

   

According to the text of the legislation and statements from its sponsors, the proposal would:

 

•        Create an earned pathway to lawful permanent residence for eligible Dreamers.

 

•        Allow certain TPS and DED beneficiaries to apply for permanent residency.

 

•        Protect eligible applicants from removal while their applications are under consideration.

 

•        Require applicants to undergo background and security checks before approval.

 

The legislation does not grant citizenship automatically. Instead, successful applicants would first become lawful permanent residents and could later apply for US citizenship under the existing naturalisation rules.

   

Who may qualify?

 

Under the Dream Act provisions, applicants would generally need to satisfy several eligibility conditions, including:

 

•        Entering the United States at or before the age of 18.

 

•        Being continuously present in the US since January 1, 2021.

 

•        Meeting criminal and national security requirements.

 

•        Fulfilling education-related criteria, such as completing high school, obtaining an equivalent qualification or enrolling in higher or technical education.

 

Most eligible applicants would first receive conditional permanent resident status for up to 10 years.

 

To obtain full permanent residency, they would generally need to complete one of the following:

 

•        Earn a college degree or complete at least two years of qualifying higher education or career training.

 

•        Complete at least two years of honourable military service.

 

•        Demonstrate around three years of employment, with certain adjustments for periods spent in qualifying education.

 

Some existing DACA recipients who already satisfy all the required conditions could be eligible to apply directly for permanent resident status without first receiving conditional residency.

   

What about TPS and DED holders?

   

The proposal also covers some people protected under TPS and DED.

 

According to the legislation, eligible applicants would generally need to have lived continuously in the United States for at least three years and meet programme-specific eligibility dates, while also clearing background and admissibility checks.

   

Who would not be eligible?

   

The Bill excludes individuals convicted of certain serious offences, including felonies, multiple qualifying misdemeanours, specified domestic violence offences and cases involving national security or terrorism concerns.

 

The Department of Homeland Security would retain limited authority to waive certain misdemeanours in humanitarian cases, family unity situations or where considered to be in public interest.

   

What happens next?

   

For now, the proposal remains a congressional Bill rather than a change in immigration policy.

 

Its immediate future depends on whether supporters can secure enough signatures to force a House vote. Even if it clears the House, it must still pass the Senate and receive presidential approval before any pathway to permanent residency becomes available.

 

For Indian readers following US immigration developments, the latest move is significant because it revives one of the most closely watched immigration reform proposals in recent years. However, immigration experts caution that no one becomes eligible for a green card under the proposal unless the legislation completes the full US lawmaking process and comes into force.