{"bills":[{"photos":{"featured":"https://assets.causes.com/bill/photo/hr4184-115/featured_esperer-act-of-2017-1515775668.jpg","featured_large":"https://assets.causes.com/bill/photo/hr4184-115/featured_large_esperer-act-of-2017-1515775668.jpg","shareable":"https://n.causes.com/share-images/bills/hr4184-115.png"},"introduced_on":"2017-10-31","title_override":"Allowing People Granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Apply For Permanent Resident Status","summary_override":"

This bill — the ESPERER Act — would allow qualified immigrants who received Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in the U.S. prior to January 13, 2011 to become legal permanent residents by applying before January 1, 2021. It would apply to nationals of Haiti, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Honduras who satisfy the eligibility criteria. Successful applicants could not have ordered, incited, assisted, or participated in the persecution of others. They also could not have been convicted of any federal or state offense punishable by more than one year’s imprisonment, or convicted of at least three separate offenses where the aggregate prison sentence was 90 days or more.

Individuals would be ineligible for permanent resident status if they’re inadmissible under the Immigration and Nationality Act on health-related grounds; criminal- or security-related grounds; they’re a public charge; involved in human trafficking or child abduction; have abused a student visa; are permanently ineligible for citizenship; practice polygamy; or voted illegally.

Further, individuals would be ineligible for permanent resident status if they’re deportable under the Immigration Nationality Act because of human trafficking; participated in marriage fraud; criminal- or security-related grounds; they’re a public charge; or voted illegally.

Individuals who were previously subject to deportation or voluntary departure orders could apply for permanent status without having to file a motion to reopen or vacate the prior order. If their application is granted, the prior order would be cancelled. If the application is denied the prior order would be in effect and enforceable. The Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS) would be required to issue regulations to stay the removal of a person who has filed an application, and would be prevented from ordering an eligible person’s removal unless their application has been denied.

DHS would be allowed to grant work authorizations to applicants, and would be mandated to grant work authorizations when an application is pending for more than 180 days.

Spouses, children, and unmarried sons or daughters of the applicant would also be eligible for permanent resident status if:

They file an application when they are physically present in the U.S.;
Unmarried sons or daughters must have been physically present in the U.S. for at least one year;
They’re otherwise eligible for immigrant visa and are admissible, with exceptions made for the Immigration and Nationality Act’s requirements that admissible immigrants not be a public charge, certify that they’re working, and provide other documentations.

Applicants would be entitled to the same administrative review provided to those applying for legal status under the Immigration and Nationality Act or individuals going through deportation proceedings. DHS decisions on an application wouldn’t be subject to judicial review.

The bill’s full title is the Extending Status Protection for Eligible Refugees with Established Residency Act of 2017.

","official_title":"To adjust the immigration status of certain foreign nationals in temporary protected status who are in the United States, and for other purposes.","short_title":"ESPERER Act of 2017","popular_title":null,"short_summary":"Extending Status Protection for Eligible Refugees with Established Residency Act of 2017 or the ESPERER Act of 2017\n\nThis bill permits a qualifying national of Haiti, Nicaragua, El Salvador, or Honduras who is in temporary protected status (TPS) to apply for adjustment to lawful permanent resident status before January 1, 2021. TPS designation permits eligible nationals of designated countries affected by armed conflict or natural disasters to temporarily reside and work in the United States.\n\nThe spouse, child, or unmarried son or daughter of an alien who has adjusted to lawful permanent resident status may also adjust to such status subject to certain conditions.\n\n An alien subject to a final order of removal may seek a stay of such order based on the filing of an application for status adjustment.","summarized":true,"cost":null,"cost_commentary":"A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.","impact":"People granted Temporary Protected Status; and DHS.","argument_for":"People who were granted Temporary Protected Status years ago to live in the U.S. because of instability in their home countries have become essential parts of their communities here in America. 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","page_title":"US Federal legislation related to Foreign Aid, International Trade and Relations and Human Rights - Vote on Bills, Stay informed, Hold Your Reps Accountable","icons":{"black":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/international-trade-and-affairs/black_international-trade-and-affairs-1429042060.svg","grey":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/international-trade-and-affairs/grey_international-trade-and-affairs-1429042060.svg","white":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/international-trade-and-affairs/white_international-trade-and-affairs-1429042060.svg"},"cover_image_url":null,"is_following":false}],"users":[{"name":"Jake","vote_count":85,"photos":{"large":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/AmpLekxm/large_amplekxm-1440170373.jpg","small":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/AmpLekxm/small_amplekxm-1440170373.jpg","tiny":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/AmpLekxm/tiny_amplekxm-1440170373.jpg"},"links":{"following":"/api/users/AmpLekxm/following","followers":"/api/users/AmpLekxm/followers"},"about_me":"Disabled US NAVY Veteran, Conservative, Bearer of Common Sense and Discernment","twitter_id":null,"facebook_id":null,"youtube_id":null,"google_plus_id":null,"website":null,"slug":"jake","issue_count":130,"is_following":null,"influence_score":690,"influence_level":30,"follower_count":21,"following_count":36,"position_count":53,"id":"AmpLekxm","partner_id":null},{"name":"JTJ","vote_count":871,"photos":{"large":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/BZe7dNq9/large_bze7dnq9-1555108060.jpg","small":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/BZe7dNq9/small_bze7dnq9-1555108060.jpg","tiny":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/BZe7dNq9/tiny_bze7dnq9-1555108060.jpg"},"links":{"following":"/api/users/BZe7dNq9/following","followers":"/api/users/BZe7dNq9/followers"},"about_me":"Middle America small business owner, employer, tax payer.","twitter_id":null,"facebook_id":null,"youtube_id":null,"google_plus_id":null,"website":null,"slug":"jtj","issue_count":2,"is_following":null,"influence_score":7300,"influence_level":40,"follower_count":184,"following_count":35,"position_count":708,"id":"BZe7dNq9","partner_id":null},{"name":"Brian","vote_count":1755,"photos":{"large":"https://graph.facebook.com/1113364925349998/picture?width=150&height=150","small":"https://graph.facebook.com/1113364925349998/picture?width=75&height=75","tiny":"https://graph.facebook.com/1113364925349998/picture?width=20&height=20","facebook":"https://graph.facebook.com/1113364925349998/picture"},"links":{"following":"/api/users/pWR7VqXZ/following","followers":"/api/users/pWR7VqXZ/followers"},"about_me":null,"twitter_id":null,"facebook_id":null,"youtube_id":null,"google_plus_id":null,"website":null,"slug":null,"issue_count":43,"is_following":null,"influence_score":2980,"influence_level":30,"follower_count":43,"following_count":31,"position_count":1054,"id":"pWR7VqXZ","partner_id":null},{"name":"CombatVeteran","vote_count":424,"photos":{"large":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/49VgNpzW/large_49vgnpzw-1561226191.jpg","small":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/49VgNpzW/small_49vgnpzw-1561226191.jpg","tiny":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/49VgNpzW/tiny_49vgnpzw-1561226191.jpg","facebook":"https://graph.facebook.com/10206122711419923/picture"},"links":{"following":"/api/users/49VgNpzW/following","followers":"/api/users/49VgNpzW/followers"},"about_me":"God fearing, gun loving father of two. 10 years of dedicated service to the Army and my country.","twitter_id":null,"facebook_id":null,"youtube_id":null,"google_plus_id":null,"website":null,"slug":"combatveteran","issue_count":13,"is_following":null,"influence_score":1870,"influence_level":30,"follower_count":49,"following_count":7,"position_count":329,"id":"49VgNpzW","partner_id":null},{"name":"Roger","vote_count":163,"photos":{"large":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/P9onjexm/large_p9onjexm-1515833323.jpg","small":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/P9onjexm/small_p9onjexm-1515833323.jpg","tiny":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/P9onjexm/tiny_p9onjexm-1515833323.jpg"},"links":{"following":"/api/users/P9onjexm/following","followers":"/api/users/P9onjexm/followers"},"about_me":"Husband, father, former Airborne Infantry, retired police officer, private military contractor, and staunch constitutionalist. 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Jake

Allowing People Granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Apply For Permanent Resident Status