US Bill Would Offer Green Card Pathway to Dreamers in Public-Service Jobs
Washington — Indian-American Rep. Ami Bera and Rep. Deborah Ross have introduced legislation that would create a pathway to permanent residency for eligible Dreamers and children of long-term visa holders who work in public-service jobs in the United States.
The SERVICE for America Act would cover qualifying work in health care, education, public safety, military service, social work, early-childhood education, government and nonprofit organizations.
The proposal could have particular significance for Documented Dreamers — children who came to the United States legally as dependents of employment-based visa holders but risk losing dependent status when they turn 21 while their families remain in long green-card backlogs.
“Dreamers and Documented Dreamers are already giving back to our country as teachers, health care workers, servicemembers, and public servants,” Bera said. “They are stepping up, serving their communities, and doing their part to make our country stronger. The SERVICE for America Act creates an earned pathway to permanent residency and gives these young people the certainty and peace of mind they deserve as they continue to build their futures in America.”
Under the proposal, qualifying public-service employees would be eligible for a new W nonimmigrant visa. The visa would initially be valid for three years and could be extended once for an additional three years while the recipient continued working in an eligible position.
Applicants would generally need to have legally lived in the United States for at least five years as the dependent child of an employment-based nonimmigrant or have received protection under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. They would also need to hold, or have an offer for, a qualifying public-service job.
Spouses and minor children of W-visa holders would be eligible for the same status and authorized to work in the United States.
The bill would allow eligible immigrants to apply for lawful permanent residency after working in a qualifying public-service position for at least two years. Applicants would generally also need to have been physically present in the United States for an aggregate period of at least seven years.
“Those who dedicate themselves to serving our communities and the country they call home deserve the opportunity to build their futures here,” Ross said. “Our country needs more social workers, teachers, servicemembers, and caretakers. Dreamers and Documented Dreamers are stepping up to fill these roles. It’s past time to fix our broken immigration system and give these young people a pathway to lawful permanent residency.”
The legislation would also make eligible DACA recipients and qualifying children of employment-based visa holders eligible to serve through AmeriCorps.
Dip Patel, founder of Improve The Dream, welcomed the proposal, saying it could provide greater certainty for children of long-term visa holders who otherwise risk aging out of their families’ pending green-card applications.
“We appreciate the introduction of the Service for America Act, which will allow many long term immigrants who grew up here and are fully contributing to our country, to receive a sense of permanency,” Patel said. “Many children of long term visa holders who grew up here lawfully, but age out of their pending green card applications due to backlogs, would be afforded a pathway to stay and contribute in the only country they’ve called home.”
