Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, are headlining a bipartisan, bicameral effort behind legislation to permanently protect more than 250,000 children under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, when they turn 21.
DACA was established in 2012 under former President Barack Obama. It allows certain illegal migrants who came to the U.S. as children to receive renewable protection from deportation and work authorization, provided they arrived before age 16 and meet education or service requirements. Backlogs in the green-card system, however, have left many aging out of eligibility and at risk of removal.
America’s CHILDREN Act of 2025 aims to give permanent residency to people legally present for 10 years who hold a U.S. college degree.
“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. They shouldn’t be penalized by the government’s failures in addressing green card backlogs,” Paul said in a statement.
Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, have co-sponsored the bill in the Senate. GOP Reps. Maria Salazar of Florida and Juan Ciscomani of Arizona are leading the effort in the lower chamber. Miller-Meeks reintroduced the measure in the House.
GOP Reps. Don Bacon of Nebraska, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, and John Rutherford of Florida have also signed on in the House.
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