# Fight for the American Dream Act: Plain Language Summary

This bill would allow certain young immigrants who came to the United States as children to join the military. Specifically, it opens up military service to people who have DACA status—that's the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that protects people brought here illegally as kids and gives them work permits. Right now, these individuals generally can't enlist in the Armed Forces, even though many have grown up here and want to serve their country. This bill removes that barrier.

Here's what would happen if someone with DACA status enlists: they'd be able to join the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, or Coast Guard just like any other recruit. Once they complete their military service honorably, they'd automatically become a permanent resident (green card holder). This is a big deal because it gives them a clear path to legal status through military service. The bill also says that if someone gets a dishonorable discharge before finishing their service commitment, they'd lose that permanent resident status—so there are consequences for not completing service properly.

The practical impact is straightforward: thousands of young people currently in legal limbo could contribute to the military while gaining a pathway to permanent residency. For the military, it expands the pool of recruits at a time when recruitment has been challenging. The bill doesn't change anything about how people become citizens through military service—that process stays the same. It simply says that DACA recipients, who are already living and working legally in the United States, should have the same opportunity as others to serve in uniform.

Fight for the American Dream Act

Gallego, Ruben

Fight for the American Dream Act This bill authorizes an individual to enlist in the Armed Forces if that individual has employment authorization under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. (The program, often referred to as DACA, allows certain individuals without lawful immigration status and who arrived in the United States as children to temporarily remain in the United States, subject to various requirements and limitations.) An individual who has enlisted in the Armed Forces under this bill shall receive lawful permanent resident status, if the individual is otherwise eligible for such status. The bill waives certain grounds of inadmissibility related to unlawful entry for such individuals. If such an individual receives a discharge from the Armed Forces that is not an honorable discharge before completing a period of obligated service, the Department of Homeland Security must rescind that individual's lawful permanent resident status.