Youth-led organization advocating for Documented Dreamers who grow up as dependents of long-term visa holders, but age out and face self-deportation at 21.
We urge
@JoeBiden
and
@Transition46
to include children who grew up in the US as dependents of long-term visa holders in all efforts to protect Dreamers.
All children, undocumented or documented, should receive equal protection and path to citizenship.
Let's
#ImproveTheDream
"Why has
@USCIS
not adopted a priority date retention policy given that the Supreme Court determined the agency possesses this authority?"
Thank you,
@RepDeborahRoss
, for highlighting the urgent need to protect children of long-term visa holders to
@SecMayorkas
.
Exciting News: Dream and Promise Act of 2021 includes Documented Dreamers!
This is a major step forward in ensuring
#AllChildren
who grew up here receive a clear path to citizenship.
#ImproveTheDream
"A major breakdown of the immigration system is the failure to consider the fate of children of long-term visa holders. There are 250,000 children at risk of aging out."
Thank you
@SenAlexPadilla
and Senator
@RandPaul
for being champions of the bipartisan America's Children Act!
Thousands of legal immigrant children who are raised and educated in America face self-deportation due to loopholes. A bipartisan fix would prevent them from falling through cracks in our system and strengthen national security.
@TheDipPatel
and
@RepMMM
join
@FoxNews
@BretBaier
.
Thank you,
@SenatorDurbin
, for your support and your work on immigration reform. We look forward to continue working with you! Let’s
#ImproveTheDream
together.
Garion Mulder grew up in South Dakota and Minnesota. Despite coming to the US legally at age 3, he will be forced to self deport for the second time in 2 months.
“What do I do to use the skills I’ve learned and put them to use where I want to be.”
Athulya Rajakumar was brought here 20 years ago at the age of 4 and is a recent graduate of
@UTAustin
.
She testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee earlier this year.
Without a change, she will be forced to self deport next month.
Thank you
@PressSec
for acknowledging that immediate action is necessary to protect children who face aging out.
All children who grow up in America deserve protection and a clear path to citizenship.
We look forward to working with
@WhiteHouse
and
@DHSgov
to
#ImproveTheDream
!
We appreciate
@SenAlexPadilla
,
@RepDeborahRoss
, and
@RepMMM
leading dozens of bipartisan members of Congress on a letter to the administration asking for urgent action to protect children of long term visa holders and individuals with approved petitions.
Children of long-term visa holders who are raised and educated in America receive no protection from DACA and currently have clear path to citizenship. Thank you
@cheddar
for covering this issue.
The time to
#ImproveTheDream
is now!
Praneetha attended elementary, middle, high school, and university in the United States. She now works for a top company helping with artificial intelligence.
Despite being raised and educated lawfully, she faces leaving the country next month.
.
@RepDeborahRoss
and
@RepMMM
's bipartisan amendment to protect children of long-term visa holders from aging out has passed as a part of En Bloc 4!
Passage of this makes it clear that keeping American raised talent here is important for our prosperity and national security.
Roshan was forced to self-deport from the United States the day after this was filmed, despite having grown up here with a lawful status.
He works for a semiconductor company, which will now employ him in another country.
The US lost a taxpayer, he lost his family and his home.
Manasvi, a Texas resident since age 3, joins
@BarbaraCamposTV
for
@CBSAustin
to discuss the imperative to end aging out for over 200,000 children of long-term visa holders.
Thank you, Senator
@JohnCornyn
, for reaffirming your support. Let’s get it done!
Dozens of bipartisan members of Congress wrote to
@SecMayorkas
to ask for “dates for filing” chart to be made current at the beginning of the fiscal year.
This would allow all in the backlog with approved petitions to receive EADs and also protect children from aging out.
Aneesh was brought to the US at age 8. He is a Computer Science PhD student at the University of Arkansas researching Artificial Intelligence. He wants to use AI to promote small business growth in Arkansas and help teach STEM research to the next generation of scientists.
Eagle Act should be passed today in the House. While not perfect, it makes our immigration system more fair.
It fails in properly achieving immediate and permanent age out protections and for those who have aged out, but improves the status quo.
Our statement for the record in support of
@HouseJudiciary
markup of EAGLE Act:
While it falls short in permanently ending aging out (no immediate protections/excludes aged-out children), removing per-country caps make our immigration system more fair.
We are grateful for
@SenAlexPadilla
for holding this important hearing that allowed Athulya to share her powerful story and for being a champion of our effort to
#ImproveTheDream
!
Story Highlight: Anagh
Over 250,000 children of long-term visa holders face leaving the country. We must pass the bipartisan America’s Children Act. Take action at .
Thank you
@SenatorDurbin
for acknowledging Documented Dreamers' inclusion in the Dream and Promise Act passed by the House.
We hope you will work to ensure this important provision is added in any Dreamer bill, including your Dream Act, which excludes us.
#ImproveTheDream
Story of an Iowa student who will be forced to self-deport due to systematic failure of our
#immigration
system, including the
#gcbacklog
, lack of age-out protections for Documented Dreamers, and the processing delays for change of status to become an international student.
We appreciate President Bush and Mrs.
@laurawbush
for welcoming Dreamers and other immigrants for a discussion on the need for bipartisan immigration reform.
Immigration reform is essential and it should include a pathway to citizenship for everyone who grows up in America.
President Bush and Mrs.
@laurawbush
welcomed Dreamers, an immigration attorney, and an agricultural immigration advocate to the Bush Center for a conversation underscoring the shortcomings of our immigration system. Learn more:
“Despite going to great lengths to follow every letter of U.S. immigration law, my ability to build a future in the only country I call home is obscured in red tape."
-Laurens van Beek at
@SenateBudget
Committee hearing on immigration.
“Allowing American raised and educated children to remain in the country can boost national security. Behind the human toll is a policy failure that affects all Americans.”
Lynden Melmed, former counsel to Senator
@JohnCornyn
and chief counsel
@USCIS
.
How is it possible for someone who grows up in the U.S. with a documented status to not have a clear path to citizenship?
Learn more about the root causes, including the per country caps that result in the green card backlog:
Our statement on
@WhiteHouse
's immigration executive actions announced today and the bipartisan letter from members of Congress calling on
@DHSgov
and
@USCIS
to protect children of long-term visa holders and families affected by the green card backlog.
"They had a 50 year wait for green cards and their children as dependents had grown up in Iowa, but when they reached 21, they would have to leave. Ultimately, they left their patients for the sake of their children."-
@RepZoeLofgren
"For as long as I can remember, I've had regular nightmares about being sent back to where I would wander the foreign streets and have to adjust to an unfamiliar system. My greatest fear is being forced to return to a place I have never really known." - Bhumika Prem for
@TEDTalks
We are grateful for
@RepDeborahRoss
and
@RepBera
for leading over 30 Members of Congress to ask the Biden administration (
@DHSgov
) for immediate administrative relief for Documented Dreamers.
“They are also a population we have got to address and my opinion is that they deserve a path to citizenship in the only country they’ve ever known.”-
@SenatorSinema
joins
@broomheadKTAR
show on
@KTAR923
.
Thank you, Senator Sinema!
Lakshmi was brought to the U.S. when she was just 3 years old. She is now 18 and dreams of working in the medical field.
Her dream will be broken in 3 years because she is one of the 200,000 Documented Dreamers facing self-deportation.
The time to
#ImproveTheDream
is now!
We truly appreciate Senator
@lisamurkowski
for taking the time to speak with us and listening to our stories. We are very grateful for your support in protecting Documented Dreamers!
“Recruit the parents. Deport their kids. This is the fate of 200,000 legal immigrants.”-
@INCapChronicle
OpEd by Bhavey, a student at Purdue University.
"I am a Documented Dreamer. Please don't make me self-deport. The government estimates that my family will finally get our green cards in 2099. My father would be 124. My mother would be 118. I’d be 96."
@Shristi_Sharm
for
@DMRegister
Thank you,
@SenAlexPadilla
, for your efforts on immigration reform and for being a champion for us.
We look forward to continue working with you to
#ImproveTheDream
!
Thank you Senator
@ChrisCoons
for supporting solutions to permanently end aging out and for being an original cosponsor of America's Children Act. We look forward to continue working with you and your team!
Improve The Dream joined Google, Amazon, Twitter, IBM, Uber, and a group of 17 companies and organizations to urge for the protection of children of long-term visa holders from aging out.
Administrative policy changes and the bipartisan America's Children Act can end aging out.
We joined dozens of organizations, businesses, community and faith leaders, mayors, law enforcement and former national security officials to urge the Senate for inclusion of the bipartisan age out protections in the Senate NDAA.
"Is the White House looking at action to help Documented Dreamers? Will it show up in the reconciliation bill?"
@PressSec
: "It's not in the current discussions."
Why not? All children who are raised and educated in America are Dreamers and must be included.
@JudiciaryDems
We were delighted to meet with
@WhiteHouse
staff Betsy Lawrence, deputy assistant to
@POTUS
for immigration and Erika Moritsugu, senior AAPI liaison.
We look forward to seeing positive policy change, both administrative and legislative, to end aging out.
Our California liaison, Eva Sinha, shares her story and explains why she's leading our effort to extend in-state tuition to Documented Dreamers in California.
Currently, undocumented noncitizens qualify due to
#AB540
(CA Dream Act), but it excludes documented noncitizens.
“All of the years of waiting and maintaining status count for nothing and have to start all over again when I turn 21.”
“We have to do mental gymnastics with the immigration system just to stay in the country.”-Shristi
Take action at .
Join us with
@RepDeborahRoss
for the introduction of America's CHILDREN Act, a bill to permanently end aging out for children of long-term visa holders.
Thursday, July 1st
9:30-10:15 am EST
Register at .
Thank you
@RepDeborahRoss
for highlighting Documented Dreamers who are aging out of the system.
Let's pass the Dream and Promise Act this week to ensure all children who grew up here receive a clear path to citizenship!
#ImproveTheDream
"The one thing that I've been wondering throughout my life is what did I do wrong to have so many disadvantages compared to all of my peers."
Meet Anagh. Raised by America, but he can't call it home.
#ImproveTheDream
Happy Diwali, from Improve The Dream! We were delighted to attend
@IA_Impact
’s event last night, and we wish everyone a colorful and joyous year ahead! 🪔✨
"While this legislation fixes one of the root causes of aging out, we must also ensure we protect those who previously aged out of the system. It's time to permanently end aging out by passing the bipartisan, bicameral America's Children Act."
Thank you
@RepDeborahRoss
!
Hardik was selected for the USA cricket under 19 team, but was unable to play due to lack of SSN. He is currently a student at UC Irvine studying computer science and cybersecurity. As a child of a long term visa holder, he is at risk of aging out and being forced to leave.
The U.S. just stunned Pakistan at the Men's T20 Cricket World Cup in one of the biggest upsets in the sport's history.
Saurabh Netravalkar is one of Team USA's top players, but his full-time job: Principle Engineer at Oracle.
“Delay in solving this loophole will fail America by depriving it of the contributions of the children it raised and educated. Ending aging out will empower people to tap into their talents and ambitions, helping us and our country reach our fullest potential.”-
@TheDipPatel
On Tuesday, March 15th, Athulya Rajakumar, a Documented Dreamer, will testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee at the "Removing Barriers to Legal Migration" hearing.
Watch at 2pm EST as she tells her story and explains the need to
#ImproveTheDream
:
"This is the only country you've known as home. That makes no sense. You went to school here, you've lived your entire lives here, you have contributed to our country. And you need to stay."
Thank you,
@CongressmanRaja
, for introducing America's CHILDREN Act.
We applaud
@SenatorDurbin
and
@LindseyGrahamSC
for reintroducing the Dream Act.
It is a positive step in providing a pathway to citizenship for children who grow up in the U.S.
However, the Dream Act must be amended to include Documented Dreamers. Let's
#ImproveTheDream
!
To all the
#Dreamers
out there, let me tell you this: passing the
#DreamAct
is still my highest priority. This is the year. This is the time.
#WeAreHome
Thank you
@RepDeborahRoss
for asking
@DHSgov
@SecMayorkas
about exclusion of Documented Dreamers from DACA and other administrative priorities.
The admin must provide equal relief and
@HouseJudiciary
must markup and pass the bipartisan America's Children Act to end aging out.
Meet Ananya, one of the 200,000 Documented Dreamers who face aging out without protection from DACA.
DHS is seeking public comments for
#DACA
. To support Documented Dreamers, please submit a comment using the template at .
#ImproveTheDream
We are extremely grateful for
@RepUnderwood
's strong support of Documented Dreamers.
Thank you for meeting us and for your efforts in helping us
#ImproveTheDream
!
We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to speak with the
@WhiteHouse
team on immigration policies impacting Documented Dreamers.
Thank you for listening to our stories. We look forward to working with you to protect Dreamers of all statuses.
"My future depends on Congress fixing the green card backlog. Congress should also support America’s CHILDREN Act, which would allow immigrant children who’ve lived here for a decade and graduated from an university to apply for a green card."
Over 10,000 children of long term visa holders face aging out and self deportation every year.
We need to pass America’s Children Act, which is the most bipartisan immigration bill in Congress.
My family moved to the US when I was 8, but by the time I turned 20, my dad was still on an H1B (waiting to get processed for a green card).
Once I turned 21, I would age out as his dependent, despite the fact that I basically grew up in the US.
I thought I'd have to become a
After spending nearly 20 years in America with lawful status, Jade is self-deporting today to a country she hasn't lived in since age 5.
It is time to
#ImproveTheDream
and permanently end aging out.
We are grateful for the opportunity to speak with
@DHSgov
Assistant Secretary David Shahoulian and other officials regarding immigration policies that affect Documented Dreamers. Thank you for listening to our stories and we look forward to continue working with you.
"By saying that it expects 100,000 green cards to go to waste, the administration is implying it would rather take the extreme step of violating the law that requires them to be issued."
@David_J_Bier
@DHSgov
must take urgent action to prevent this.
For the first time, the House will vote on a bipartisan solution to permanently protect America's children from aging out of the legal immigration system.
Keeping American raised and educated talent who wish to contribute is significant for our country and national security.
GREAT NEWS: My amendment to protect Documented Dreamers just advanced out of
@RulesDemocrats
with the NDAA and now heads to the floor for a vote.
200,000+ young people face the risk of deportation, and this amendment will prevent them from aging out of legal immigration status.
.
@USCIS
has made a common sense change that will prevent some children of long term visa holders from aging out.
This is one of the many narrow changes we have advocated for, but more must be done, including passing bipartisan legislative solutions like America’s Children Act.
We updated how we calculate the age of child beneficiaries for immigrant visas under the Child Status Protection Act. This will prevent some child beneficiaries from aging out of child status & allow them to adjust status with their parents.
More info at:
Another Documented Dreamer will need to self-deport due to a restrictive interpretation of CSPA by the administration.
This student's particular situation is completely preventable through a simple policy change from
@DHSgov
,
@USCISDirector
. They must act now.
"I want to tell my parents once and for all that this situation isn't their fault. They are amazing parents who got caught up in a broken system. For all their love, for all their sacrifice, they deserve better." -Eti Sinha for
@ParentsMagazine
The biggest brain drain of the United States is caused by forcing talented people who are educated in the country to leave after completion of their studies, which includes thousands of young people who were also raised here.
It is time to pass America’s Children Act.
O'Leary Ventures Chairman Kevin O'Leary
@kevinolearytv
says bad U.S. immigration policy is resulting in a brain drain and Canada is benefitting from H1-B visa problems.
Documented Dreamer
@PareenMhatre
will represent Improve The Dream and share her story at the
@HouseJudiciary
hearing on Barriers to Legal Immigration on Wednesday 4/28 at 2:15pm ET.
She will be joined by
@David_J_Bier
and
@AAAJ_AAJC
President John Yang.