Lawmakers Urge Action for Indian Dreamers Facing Deportation

A bipartisan group of 43 lawmakers is urging the Biden administration to protect over 250,000 Documented Dreamers, mostly Indian nationals, facing self-deportation after aging out of their dependent visa status. The lawmakers recommend administrative actions to address visa backlogs and provide protections to these young individuals.

A group of 43 bipartisan lawmakers has issued a call to the Biden administration to urgently protect more than 250,000 Documented Dreamers, with a significant number being Indian nationals, from self-deportation after aging out of their temporary legal status derived from their parents' visas.

Documented Dreamers are foreign nationals who entered the U.S. as dependents under their parents' work visa status.

Despite their legal status growing up in the U.S., many are forced to leave once they turn 21 and can't transition to a new status. This is due to extensive backlogs in families' adjustment of status applications, preventing them from securing permanent resident status, noted the lawmakers in their letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and USCIS Director Ur M Jaddou.

The campaign, led by Senator Alex Padilla and Representative Deborah Ross, seeks to protect over 250,000 Dreamers through the America's CHILDREN Act.

"These young people grow up, complete their education in the U.S., and often graduate from American institutions," said the lawmakers.

They highlighted the long wait for green cards despite approved immigrant petitions. "While pursuing permanent legislative solutions such as the America's Children Act of 2023, we urge administrative actions to protect these children from self-deporting," the lawmakers added.

Recommendations include clarifying deferred action use, expanding Employment Authorization eligibility, and creating a parole process for long-term visa holders aging out to address urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefits.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)