America’s Cultivation of Hope and Inclusion for Long-term Dependents Raised and Educated Natively Act of 2021

America's Cultivation of Hope and Inclusion for Long-term Dependents Raised and Educated Natively Act of 2021 or the America's CHILDREN Act of 2021

This bill provides lawful permanent resident status to certain college graduates who entered the United States as children and addresses other immigration-related issues.

Specifically, this bill allows an alien to apply for lawful permanent resident status if the alien (1) was lawfully admitted into the United States as a dependent child of an alien on a temporary worker visa, (2) was in the United States with such status for at least four years, (3) has graduated from an institution of higher education in the United States, and (4) is not deportable or otherwise inadmissible. In addition, the alien must have been lawfully present in the United States for at least 10 years at the time of the application.

The bill also modifies various provisions related to the calculation of an alien's age for immigration purposes and the priority date of certain immigration-related applications.

Bill 117 HR 4331, also known as the America’s Cultivation of Hope and Inclusion for Long-term Dependents Raised and Educated Natively Act of 2021, aims to provide a pathway to citizenship for certain undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children and have lived in the country for an extended period of time.

The bill specifically targets individuals who were brought to the US before the age of 18 and have been continuously present in the country for at least four years prior to the enactment of the bill. These individuals must also have graduated from high school or obtained a GED, or be enrolled in a post-secondary educational program, in order to be eligible for the pathway to citizenship.

Additionally, the bill includes provisions for individuals who have served in the military or have been employed in the US for a certain period of time to also qualify for the pathway to citizenship. Overall, the America’s Cultivation of Hope and Inclusion for Long-term Dependents Raised and Educated Natively Act of 2021 seeks to provide a way for certain undocumented immigrants who have grown up in the US to become legal residents and eventually citizens, recognizing their contributions to American society and their deep ties to the country.