Washington, DC – February 25, 2025 – The Central American Resource Center (CARECEN) strongly endorses the American Dream and Promise Act, which is set to be re-introduced by Congresswoman Sylvia Gracia on February 26, 2025. This legislation provides a pathway to citizenship for DACA recipients, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) recipients and is an important step towards ensuring a secure future for hundreds of thousands of individuals who have made the United States their home.
As an organization founded to serve the Salvadoran and Central American immigrant community, and one of the architects of the legislation that created TPS, CARECEN stands in firm support of this legislation. Many TPS recipients from El Salvador and Honduras have been living in the US for over 20 years, contributing to the fabric of our communities, workforce and economy. They deserve the opportunity to live without fear of deportation and to build a future with their families in the only country many of them have ever known.
“TPS and DACA beneficiaries have done everything asked of them. They have been thoroughly vetted by USCIS in order to receive their temporary benefits. They have earned a path to legalization, and it is why this legislation is so important” stated Abel Nuñez, Executive Director of CARECEN.
Immigrants are vital economic drivers. According to an American Immigration Council study of US Census Bureau data, immigrants generated $1.6 trillion in economic activity in 2022 and more than $579 billion in local, state and federal taxes. By enacting this legislation, we take an important step towards strengthening our nation and boosting overall economic growth.
We urge the House of Representative to consider and pass the American Dream and Promise Act in the coming days. The need for permanent protection for TPS recipients and DACA recipients has never been more urgent amidst ongoing deportation campaigns and rollback of critical protections.
CARECEN calls upon our partners, allies and the broader immigrant rights movement to unite in support of this crucial bipartisan bill. It’s time to provide permanent protection for these individuals who have been integral to our communities for so long.
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CARECEN’s mission is to foster the comprehensive development of the Latino population in the Washington metropolitan region by providing direct services, while promoting grassroots empowerment, civic engagement, and civil rights advocacy.