America’s CHILDREN Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Ross
Introduced
Summary
Creates a new pathway to lawful permanent residence for people who arrived as children and later graduated from U.S. colleges. It would also add age-out protections and preserve immigration queue dates to keep family eligibility intact.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Green cards for long-term dependents
If enacted, certain long-term visa dependents could apply for a green card. You would need all four: not inadmissible or deportable; at least 8 years as a dependent child of a nonimmigrant admitted to work (not A, G, N, or S categories); at least 10 years of lawful presence at filing; and a U.S. college degree. You would file a petition with DHS to seek this classification. This would start upon enactment.
Age-out fixes and reopen window
If enacted, your age for child status would be set by the earlier of the petition filing date or the labor certification filing date. A special rule would help those who were dependent children for 8 aggregate years before turning 21. If a visa was available and you did not seek a green card within 2 years, your biological age would control unless there were extraordinary reasons. You could ask DHS or DOJ to reopen or reconsider a denial within 2 years of enactment if you were in the U.S. when the case was filed; approved reopenings would be exempt from annual visa number limits. These rules would apply as if part of the Child Status Protection Act.
Keep your earliest priority date
If enacted, your priority date would be the petition filing date, or the labor certification filing date if that came first. You and your derivative family would keep the earliest approved date and use it on later petitions. This could make a visa available sooner. It would take effect upon enactment.
Work and status for dependents
If enacted, dependent children in the covered classes could work in the U.S. as part of their status. If you qualify as a child under the special rule, you could change or extend dependent status even if married. Your parent would need an approved work-based petition or approved E status. These changes would take effect upon enactment.
Change to immediate relative rules
If enacted, the bill would revise the heading and some text used to decide who counts as an immediate relative and strike one paragraph. Agencies would apply the new wording starting at enactment. The practical effect would depend on how cases are decided under the updated text.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Ross
NC • D
Cosponsors
Miller-Meeks
IA • R
Sponsored 9/19/2025
Krishnamoorthi
IL • D
Sponsored 9/19/2025
Salazar
FL • R
Sponsored 9/19/2025
Bera
CA • D
Sponsored 9/19/2025
Fitzpatrick
PA • R
Sponsored 9/19/2025
Johnson (GA)
GA • D
Sponsored 9/19/2025
Bacon
NE • R
Sponsored 9/19/2025
Houlahan
PA • D
Sponsored 9/19/2025
Obernolte
CA • R
Sponsored 9/19/2025
Jayapal
WA • D
Sponsored 9/19/2025
Rutherford
FL • R
Sponsored 9/19/2025
Peters
CA • D
Sponsored 9/19/2025
Ciscomani
AZ • R
Sponsored 9/19/2025
Scanlon
PA • D
Sponsored 9/19/2025
Nunn (IA)
IA • R
Sponsored 9/19/2025
DelBene
WA • D
Sponsored 9/19/2025
Thanedar
MI • D
Sponsored 9/19/2025
Stanton
AZ • D
Sponsored 9/19/2025
Min
CA • D
Sponsored 9/19/2025
Kean
NJ • R
Sponsored 10/3/2025
Meuser
PA • R
Sponsored 11/17/2025
Lawler
NY • R
Sponsored 2/9/2026
Lieu
CA • D
Sponsored 2/23/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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