Sponsors of the bipartisan American Dream and Promise Act launched a discharge petition in the House of Representatives, a procedural mechanism that, if signed by a majority of House members, could force a vote on legislation providing a pathway to permanent legal status for certain Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders, and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) recipients.

Representative Sylvia Garcia (D-TX) announced the petition on July 20, 2026, seeking to bring the legislation directly to the House floor after it failed to advance through the normal legislative process. The petition will require 218 signatures to compel House consideration of the bill.

The effort comes at a time of heightened uncertainty for many TPS holders and DACA recipients. On June 25, the Supreme Court issued a decision that allowed the administration to proceed with the termination of TPS protections for Haiti and Syria, removing a significant legal obstacle to those terminations and intensifying focus on whether Congress would pursue a legislative solution.

More broadly, since early 2025, shifts in immigration policy have raised concern among providers about the loss of legally authorized workers. Terminations of TPS and other humanitarian protections have effectively “dedocumented” some individuals who entered and remained in the workforce through lawful channels and have been contributing members of their communities for years.

These developments are occurring against the backdrop of aging services’ ongoing workforce challenges driven by demographic trends, growing demand for care, and a shrinking pool of available workers.

Many DACA recipients and TPS holders work in aging services settings as nurses, certified nursing assistants, home care workers, dietary aides, housekeepers, maintenance staff, therapists, and other essential employees. These are often experienced workers who have spent years building trusted relationships with older adults and their families.

Given these workforce realities, LeadingAge supports legislative solutions that provide stability for DACA recipients, TPS holders, and other long-term, work-authorized individuals who contribute to the aging services field. The American Dream and Promise Act would provide greater certainty for individuals who are already living and working in the United States and helping to meet the care needs of older adults. Stable legal status can help providers maintain continuity of care, retain experienced employees, and plan more effectively for future workforce needs.

LeadingAge recognizes that addressing workforce challenges in aging services will require a comprehensive approach, including stronger reimbursement systems, investments in training and education, improved job quality, and modernization of immigration policies that affect the caregiving workforce. Our immigration policy initiatives are focused on ensuring a stable, flexible, workforce for our members through durable solutions. Some of these solutions may lead to legal permanent residency or opportunities to pursue citizenship, but that is not the primary goal. This work includes thinking about new pathways for foreign born workers to enter the workforce, both temporary in duration and permanent, fixing processes in the system that are antiquated or cause long wait times, and more.  We are conscientious that we must work on domestic policy solutions as well, hence our comprehensive approach. We believe supporting this bill is consistent with a position of trying to ensure a long term, stable workforce for our members and will continue to advocate for policies in both the domestic and immigration spaces that support this goal.