Press Releases

As momentum builds to address America’s broken immigration system, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today voted for H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act, of which she is a cosponsor, and H.R. 1603, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act. Together, these pieces of legislation would modernize the immigration process to better meet the needs of Dreamers, TPS recipients, DED beneficiaries, and immigrant agricultural workers.

H.R. 6 would expand protections for Dreamers, TPS recipients, and DED beneficiaries and establish a path to citizenship to ensure that immigrants can continue to contribute to and participate in their communities.

“America is a nation of immigrants, and few of us can trace our ancestry to this land. DACA has been integral in allowing the more than 640,0000 Dreamers to live, work, and thrive here. They don’t just call America home—it is their home, and in many cases, it’s the only one they remember,” said Pingree. “I was relieved last June when the Supreme Court decided to allow Dreamers to stay, but I know Congress must step up and codify this decision. I proudly voted today for the American Dream and Promise Act, which will extend the opportunity of citizenship to so many essential members of our communities—our neighbors, coworkers, family, and friends.”

The American Dream and Promise Act would create a “conditional permanent resident” status valid for up to 10 years that would protect Dreamers – including DACA recipients – from deportation, allow them to work legally in the U.S. and permit them to travel outside the country. The bill would pause the deportation proceedings for Dreamers if they are eligible for conditional permanent resident status and prevent deportation proceedings for young Dreamers under the age of 18 if they meet the requirements for conditional permanent resident status. The bill would protect TPS holders and TPS-eligible individuals from El Salvador, Guinea, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen, as well as individuals with DED from Liberia and cancel deportation proceedings if they are eligible for a green card.

H.R. 1603 is designed to support farm businesses who rely on H-2A visas to fill positions in a tight labor market and allow long-time agricultural workers in the U.S. to earn legal status. The Farm Workforce Modernization Act reforms the H-2A agricultural guestworker program and creates a merit-based visa program designed specifically for the agricultural economy, providing stability to one of the pillars of America’s economic health. The bill establishes a path to legal permanent residence for undocumented farmworkers through continued agricultural employment, provides more flexibility for employers while ensuring protections for workers, and phases in E-Verify for all agricultural employment. This legislation would help dairy farmers and other producers who need year-round labor by providing an additional 40,000 green cards for farmworkers and granting three-year visas for workers in certain sectors. 

Pingree continued: “Many small farms in Maine are suffering from a labor shortage. H.R. 1603 will reform the agricultural guestworker program, ensuring that those who work to grow the food on our plates have an achievable pathway to legal permanent residence. Together, the passage of these bills will reform the broken promise of the American immigration system.”

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