Dream Act 2025 Could Help Millions of Young Immigrants Gain Legal Status

The Dream Act of 2025, introduced by Senators Richard Durbin and Lisa Murkowski on 4 December, would create a pathway to permanent residency for undocumented Dreamers and for children of temporary visa holders who lose legal status as adults.

The legislation aims to provide protection from deportation and a structured route to lawful permanent residence for young people who have lived most of their lives in the United States without long-term security. It covers both recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and so-called Documented Dreamers, whose immigration status depends on their parents’ temporary visas.

If passed, the bill could apply to about 525,000 current DACA recipients and an estimated two million other Dreamers who arrived in the country as children. It would also extend eligibility to roughly 250,000 Documented Dreamers, including the children of E-1, E-2, H-1B and L visa holders, many of whom face loss of legal status at age 21.

The proposed process begins with the grant of conditional permanent resident status. Applicants would need to show they entered the United States before turning 18 and have lived continuously in the country for at least four years before the law takes effect. They would be required to pass background checks, submit biometric and medical information, and demonstrate good moral character.

Eligibility would also depend on meeting education, military, or similar requirements. Applicants must hold a high school diploma, be enrolled in higher education, or have served in the US armed forces. They would also need to show compliance with federal tax obligations.

A second stage would allow conditional residents to apply for full lawful permanent residence. To qualify, individuals would need to maintain continuous residence and complete one of three tracks: higher education, military service, or employment. This could include earning a university degree, completing two years of honourable military service, or showing three years of authorised employment.

Applicants at this stage would also be required to demonstrate English proficiency and knowledge of US civics, while continuing to meet standards of conduct and passing further government checks. The bill explicitly includes Documented Dreamers, a group often excluded from immigration proposals despite having lawful status for much of their childhood. 

Their inclusion addresses the gap faced by young adults whose legal protections end when they age out of their parents’ visas. Previous versions of the Dream Act have failed to pass Congress, often amid broader disagreements over immigration policy.