HR5528119th Congress

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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