President Biden walks to the Oval Office on Wednesday. Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
President Biden will meet with 11 Democratic members of Congress at the White House Thursday to discuss the next steps for providing a pathway to citizenship for undocumented migrants brought to the U.S. as children, a White House official told Axios.
Why it matters: Congressional Democrats plan to try to pass pathways to citizenship for so-called Dreamers, TPS holders and undocumented essential workers in the upcoming reconciliation package. Biden also has consistently called on Congress to pass legislation to protect Dreamers.
- On Sunday, Biden said it "remains to be seen" when asked about Congress including pathways to citizenship in the reconciliation package.
Flashback: The president met with a group of Dreamers in May.
- Just last week, Vice President Kamala Harris met with participants in the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and other Dreamers.
- The meeting followed a recent federal judicial ruling that blocked the administration from approving new DACA applicants.
- The recent ruling has added even more urgency to congressional efforts to protect and provide pathways for Dreamers.
- Afterward, the president expressed his disappointment and again urged Congress to pass legislation helping that population of undocumented immigrants.
Details: Those scheduled to meet with the president are:
- Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin (D-Ill.)
- Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez (D-N.J.)
- Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.)
- Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
- Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.)
- House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.)
- Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.)
- House Hispanic Caucus Chairman Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.)
- Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.)
- Rep. Lucille Roybal Allard (D-Calif.)
- Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.)