The House passed two major immigration reform bills on Thursday, March 18 securing the first step in President Joe Biden plan to grant a pathway to citizenship for millions of undocumented people.
But the bills are likely to stall out in the Senate, which Democrats narrowly control ― narrowing the chances for immigration reform to pass, reports the Huffington Post.
The House passed the American Dream and Promise Actin a 228-197 vote, with nine Republicans voting in favor. The bill would provide a path to citizenship for the 2.5 million young undocumented migrants known as “Dreamers,” as well as the 400,000 immigrants living in the country with temporary protected status, or TPS.
The chamber later approved a second bill, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, in a 247-174 vote. Thirty Republicans voted to approve the bill and one Democrat ― Rep. Jared Golden of Maine ― voted no.
That second bill would allow eligible undocumented farmworkers to apply for legal status and is the biggest legalization effort with broad Republican support. A majority of the country’s roughly 2.4 million farmworkers are undocumented.
The bills would be life-changing for undocumented immigrants. While many Dreamers are currently protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, they remain at risk of deportation and lack permanent status.
Both bills have support from the White House.
“Ensuring that Dreamers and TPS recipients have a clear path to citizenship would deliver much-needed economic security and stability to millions of people who currently face perpetual uncertainty and vulnerability as a result of their immigration status,” read a statement from the White House released on Thursday.
Biden urged all members of the House to vote in favor of the bills in a tweet and said it was “long past time Congress gives a path to citizenship for Dreamers and TPS recipients who strengthen our country and call our nation home.”
