Legislation by Oklahoma U.S. Sen. James Lankford, North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis and Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch proposes a 15 year path to citizenship for thousands covered by the policy known as DACA.
President Trump said he is ending in six months the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy. President Barack Obama's policy prevents undocumented immigrants brought into the U.S. as children from being deported simply for being in the country.
Lankford said such undocumented immigrants should not be punished for it.
"I've had a quite a few folks in my state, in Oklahoma, that I've talked to of late that are very, very passionate, that are very conservative people, but, on this issue, they see it how it really is: These are children that did not have a shot on it," Lankford said.
The Succeed Act would give eligible DACA recipients "conditional permanent resident" status for five years. They would have to pass a thorough background check, submit biometric data to the Department of Homeland Security, and pay or arrange to pay any outstanding federal tax debts.
If they renew that status and maintain it for 10 years, they’ll be eligible for a green card, which must be held five years before applying for citizenship.
"During that 15 year time period, they have access to work, they have access to school, they have access to travel," Lankford said. "So, they have those basic freedoms that are already built in place those individuals that are on DACA do not have right now."
Lankford said Trump is on board with the Succeed Act, but there’s more to be done.
"I don't believe — we don't believe — that this Succeed Act is a standalone bill, because there are so many issues when you deal with immigration," Lankford said. "If you have a single, standalone bill and leave other areas unresolved, you're not solving the greater issues of immigration."
The Succeed Act does not include a provision allowing lawful permanent residents to petition for visas for their family members.
