Proposed Immigration Legislation Would Benefit 100,000 Construction Workers
The Dream and Promise Act of 2021 successfully passed through the House on March 18, bringing more than 100,000 construction workers closer to receiving permanent legal status in the U.S. The legislation would allow Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients to work and reside legally in the country. Foreign-born construction workers make up 24% of the industry's workforce, and the National Association of Home Builders says this legislation will help fill part of the industry’s growing labor gap. Without foreign-born workers, the construction industry would surely face project delays, increased costs for buyers, and slowed economic growth, NAHB says.
For these reasons, NAHB designated support for H.R. 6 as a “key vote” for the housing industry. NAHB supports the creation of a pathway whereby eligible Dreamers and TPS beneficiaries can adjust their status to legally and permanently remain in the U.S.
At the same time, NAHB believes that addressing the future of hardworking Dreamers and TPS beneficiaries is just one piece of the larger immigration puzzle.