Press Releases

Larsen’s Message to Dreamers: You Make Northwest Washington Stronger

Washington, D.C., March 19, 2021
Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) voted for two commonsense, bipartisan bills to secure permanent protections and a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, including Dreamers and guestworkers. More than 16,000 Dreamers call Washington state home and contribute over $1 billion annually to the state’s economy.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) voted for two commonsense, bipartisan bills to secure permanent protections and a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, including Dreamers and guestworkers. More than 16,000 Dreamers call Washington state home and contribute over $1 billion annually to the state’s economy.

The American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 passed the House of Representatives by a final vote of 228 to 197. The Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2021 passed 247 to 174.

“Immigrants make Northwest Washington a stronger and better place,” said Larsen, an original cosponsor of the American Dream and Promise Act. “I voted to stand with Dreamers and immigrants who have come to the United States to escape extraordinary circumstances and build a better life for themselves and their families.”

Both pieces of legislation modernize and improve the U.S. immigration system:

  • The American Dream and Promise Act establishes a path to lawful permanent resident (LPR) status for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program recipients, or Dreamers, and for certain individuals who either held or were eligible for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or Deferred Enforced Departure (DED).
  • The Farm Workforce Modernization Act stabilizes the agricultural sector and ensures farmers can meet labor needs by establishing a program for agricultural workers, their spouses and minor children to earn legal Certified Agricultural Worker (CAW) status through continued agricultural employment. The bill also reforms the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program to provide more flexibility for employers, while ensuring critical protections for workers.

Larsen believes in establishing a more humane U.S. immigration system. He supports the comprehensive U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 which would establish a new system to provide pathways to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants, strengthen labor protections, secure the nation’s borders, keep families and communities safe, and better address root causes of migration.

 Resources

For a summary of the American Dream and Promise Act, click here.

For a summary of the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, click here.

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