Rand Paul and a California Democrat propose immigration reform for 'Documented Dreamers'

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky - Sen. Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, has teamed up with a California Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla on an immigration reform bill to provide a pathway to citizenship for "Documented Dreamers," children of long-term visa holders who have waited for years for a green card.

The "America's Children Act," introduced Tuesday by Paul and Padilla, would aim to help the Documented Dreamers, who face deportation if they age out of dependent status at 21 without a green card or other immigration status.

The bill, according to a news release, would create "a pathway to permanent residency for individuals who were brought to the United States as dependent children of workers admitted under approved employer petitions, have maintained status in the United States for 10 years (including four years as a dependent) and have graduated from an institution of higher education."

The proposal also establishes "age-out protections that lock in a child’s age on the date on which they file for a green card rather than the final action date" and "provides work authorization for Documented Dreamers over the age of 16 whose green card applications are pending," per the release.

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"These children who have legally called the United States home for many years and even decades, are contributing members in our communities and to our economy," Paul said in the announcement. "They shouldn’t be penalized by the government’s failures in addressing green card backlogs. The America’s Children Act provides targeted relief for these children of merit-based immigrants who are at risk of 'aging out' of their lawful immigration status, and I’m pleased to join Sen. Padilla in introducing this bill."

California Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Padilla in December to finish the Senate term of Vice President Kamala Harris.

Padilla, the Golden State's first Latino senator, had been serving as California's secretary of state when he accepted the move to Capitol Hill.

"We cannot turn our backs on the ‘Documented Dreamers’ who have spent most of their lives in this country, contributing to their communities and our economy but face continued uncertainty and risk deportation once they turn 21,” Padilla said. "These young people deserve the opportunity to pursue their American dream and continue building lives in the country they call home."

Dip Patel, president of immigration advocacy group Improve the Dream, told Axios most of the Documented Dreamers are Asian American, with roughly 70% emigrating from India.

Patel, a Documented Dreamer himself who was 9 years old when his family moved from India to Illinois, also said in a statement over 200,000 Documented Dreamers "who had felt hopeless now have hope for being recognized as something we have long felt: Americans."

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"People don't realize that this is happening, that thousands of people who have been ... brought here at a young age, raised and educated here on visas with a legal status are having to leave the country," Patel told Axios.

Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Chris Coons, D-Del., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, are cosponsoring Paul and Padilla's bill.

In July, Reps. Deborah Ross, D-N.C., Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., and Young Kim, R-Calif., introduced a version of the bill in the House.

Reach Billy Kobin at bkobin@courierjournal.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Rand Paul, Alex Padilla introduce 'Documented Dreamers' reform bill