Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick, D-Ariz., has introduced legislation to give illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as youths and are exempt from deportation the ability to work on Capitol Hill.
The legislation, titled The American Dream Employment Act, would change the law preventing the House and Senate from employing anyone who is neither a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident seeking naturalization. Under current law, individuals allowed to work in the U.S. through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, known as DACA, cannot be hired by any branch of the federal government.
“Telling these young people they cannot work in the seat of our government is like telling them they deserve something less than the American dream. That’s the wrong message to send — especially from an institution like Congress that could really benefit from their unique abilities and perspectives,” Kirkpatrick, who is running for Senate as a challenger to Republican Sen. John McCain in Arizona, said in a statement.
Her legislation would create a new exemption for DACA recipients to work for congressional offices. The bill would not affect any other federal agency or department.
DACA recipients are able to work in congressional offices through internships or fellowship programs, but are unable to be formally employed by the offices.
Kirkpatrick’s bill has 24 original cosponsors.
