American Promise Act of 2017

American Promise Act of 2017

This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to permit an alien who is in temporary protected status (TPS) or deferred enforced departure (DED) status to apply for legal permanent resident status if such alien:

• is eligible for permanent resident status,
• applies for adjustment within three years,
• was granted or was eligible for TPS or DED status on or before October 1, 2017, and
• has been continuously physically present in the U.S. for at least three years.

(TPS designations permit eligible nationals of designated counties affected by armed conflict or natural disasters to temporarily reside and work in the United States. DED designations permit eligible nationals of presidentially-designated counties to be temporarily not subject to removal from the United States.)

The bill:

• waives certain grounds of inadmissibility;
• authorizes the waiver of the continuous physical presence requirement if an alien's removal would cause extreme hardship to the alien or to the alien's spouse, children, parents, or domestic partner;
• authorizes an alien who has applied for status adjustment to work; and
• authorizes an alien who has been ordered removed or granted voluntary departure to apply for status adjustment.

An alien's spouse, parent, or unmarried child shall have his or her status adjusted to legal permanent resident if such person is eligible for status adjustment and applies within three years.

Aliens from countries that no longer have valid TPS designation and aliens who no longer have valid DED status are not included in this bill unless such TSP or DED status expires on or after January 1, 2017.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov