2018: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted Against Providing A Pathway To
Citizenship For DACA Recipients. In June 2018, Fitzpatrick effectively
voted against an amendment that would have, according to Congressional
Quarterly, "replace[d] the bill's provisions with a system that would
provide a pathway to citizenship for recipients of the Deferred Action
for Childhood Arrivals program." The underlying legislation was a
conservative immigration reform bill. The House rejected the amendment
by a vote of 191 to 234. [House Vote 281,
6/21/18; Congressional
Quarterly, 6/21/18; Congressional
Actions, H.R.
4760]
2019: Fitzpatrick Voted For Granting Citizenship To Dreamers And
Individuals Living In The U.S. Under The Temporary Protected Status And
Deferred Enforced Departure Programs. In June 2019, Fitzpatrick voted
for the American Dream and Promise Act that would, according to
Congressional Quarterly, "provide legal residency status for certain
undocumented immigrants who entered the United States as children or
from nations with Temporary Protected Status designation and would
prohibit the Homeland Security and Justice Departments from initiating
or continuing the removal of such individuals." The vote was on passage.
The House passed the bill by a vote of 237-187. The House passed the
bill by a vote of 237-187. [House Vote 240,
6/4/19; Congressional
Quarterly, 6/4/19;
Congressional Actions,
H.R.6]
The American Dream And Promise Acts Created A Pathway To
Citizenship For Several Groups Of Legal Residents. According to
Congressional Quarterly, "The legislation would provide legal status
and a path to citizenship for undocumented adults who were brought
to the United States as children by their undocumented parents, and
who are colloquially known as Dreamers. It also grants legal status
to people living in the United States under the Temporary Protected
Status and Deferred Enforced Departure programs. Under the measure,
if Dreamers, TPS and DED holders meet certain education, employment
or military service requirements they could become permanent legal
residents after which they could proceed through the naturalization
process to become U.S. citizens." [Congressional Quarterly,
6/4/19]
Center For American Progress: Over 2.5 Million Immigrants Would Be
Eligible For Citizenship. According to Congressional Quarterly,
"The Center for American Progress, in partnership with the
University of Southern California's Center for the Study of
Immigrant Integration issued a report that estimated 2.1 million
immigrants would be eligible under the measure for Dreamers and
460,000 immigrants would be eligible under the measures for TPS and
DED recipients. More than 300,000 people with TPS protections live
in the United States from 10 countries including Nepal, Nicaragua,
Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Syria. The DED program protects
about 4,000 Liberian immigrants in the United States."
[Congressional Quarterly,
6/4/19]
The Trump Administration Rebuked The Bill, Stating It Would
"Incentivize And Reward Illegal Immigration." According to
Congressional Quarterly, "Republicans assailed the bill, stating it
would encourage more migrants to come to the U.S.-Mexico border,
which is experiencing a huge influx of people from Central America
[...] The Trump administration issued a statement earlier Tuesday
threatening to veto the bill if it advances out of the Senate. 'H.R.
6 would incentivize and reward illegal immigration while ignoring
and undermining key administration immigration objectives and policy
priorities, such as protecting our communities and defending our
borders,' the Office of Budget and Management said in a statement."
[Congressional Quarterly,
6/4/19]