Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL14) voted to pass H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act, and H.R. 1603, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act - two landmark pieces of legislation to modernize and reform America’s immigration laws and build a stronger foundation for economic recovery. The American Dream and Promise Act provides a pathway to legal permanent residency for Dreamers, who have been held in limbo without a legal pathway to apply for legal residency or citizenship, yet they know no other country but America.  The bipartisan Farm Workforce Modernization Act will provide a path to legal status for the farmworkers who feed our families and have served on the frontlines throughout the pandemic.

“The story of Tampa is the story of America. The land we love and call home was built with the hard work and talents of people who came from other places seeking a better life for their families. America is a more prosperous nation because of the contributions of Dreamers and farmworkers. These vital immigration reforms will lift our entire nation, particularly the state of Florida, as Dreamers and farmworkers strengthen and contribute to our economy and communities.

“The Dream and Promise Act provides a tough, but fair, pathway to citizenship for children brought to the United States by their parents at a young age – children who know no other country but America. Dreamers and undocumented immigrants have served on the frontline of our community throughout the coronavirus pandemic, and our Tampa Bay community has long supported comprehensive immigration reform. There is no more urgent time to act than now. Here in Florida, we have invested in the education of Dreamers – and now the Dreamers intend to give back. Let’s give them that opportunity.

“Today was an important first step, one that I hope will be followed swiftly by Senate action.”

U.S. Rep. Castor has been a champion for her neighbors seeking a better life in America. She has worked to unite Tampa Bay behind our Dreamers and neighbors protected under TPS. She has held town halls, public meetings and roundtables focused on immigration and protecting Dreamers where she brought together legal experts and community resources, and hundreds came out to learn and support the success of these students. She has awarded several of her neighbors with the “American Dream Award,” recognizing their outstanding accomplishments and contributions to our community after immigrating to America and Tampa.

H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act, establishes a path to lawful permanent resident status for Dreamers and certain individuals who either held or were eligible for TPS or DED, the majority of whom have been in the United States for much of their lives. Five years after attaining full LPR status, individuals are then eligible to apply for citizenship, a path that is supported by nearly 75 percent of the American public.  H.R. 6 promotes justice and fairness for our nation’s Dreamers.  And it honors the TPS and DED holders, who fled ongoing armed conflict and other extraordinary conditions to come to this country and who have been contributing to our economy for years and are employed at high rates in industries that often struggle to find sufficient U.S. workers. 

The Farm Workforce Modernization Act stabilizes the farm economy and builds the farm workforce of the future by establishing a program for agricultural workers, their spouses and minor children to earn legal Certified Agricultural Worker (CAW) status through continued agricultural employment.   This legislation also improves the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program to provide more flexibility for employers, while ensuring critical protections for workers.  And to ensure a legal workforce for the agriculture sector, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act establishes a mandatory, nationwide E-Verify system to ensure compliance with the reformed H-2A visa program while also protecting workers’ due process rights.