An alternative solution for them — and for potential new applicants, whose applications are blocked by court rulings — could come from Congress: A bipartisan group in the House is preparing to reintroduce the Dream and Promise Act, reports Cassie Semyon of Spectrum News. The bill also includes provisions for people with Deferred Enforced Departure and Temporary Protected Status.  

The bill was introduced in the last Congress (here’s the Forum’s summary) and passed the House in 2021 with some Republican support, but it died in committee in the Senate. It’s unclear if the new version will include different provisions. 

Separately, Nadia Tamez-Robledo of Ed Surge reports how the majority of undocumented graduating high school won’t be eligible to apply for DACA this year. This will limit their education and employment opportunities.  

In a report last month, our friends at FWD.us estimated that no more than a fifth of this year’s 120,000 or so undocumented students graduating high school are eligible under DACA's current rules. "The U.S. economy cannot afford to lose this graduating class of undocumented students, perhaps permanently," they write. 

Welcome to Thursday’s edition of The Forum Daily. I’m Dan Gordon, the Forum’s strategic communications VP, and the great Forum Daily team also includes Clara Villatoro, Karime Puga, Ashling Lee, Keylla Ortega, Samuel Benson, Christian Blair and Katie Lutz. If you have a story to share from your own community, please send it to me at dgordon@immigrationforum.org. 

NEW FACILITY — U.S. Customs and Border Protection opened a new migrant processing facility in El Paso, Texas, "despite a huge drop in migrant apprehensions," reports Julian Resendiz of Border Report. "Anytime the U.S. expands its capacity to process people faster and hopefully more humanely, that’s always a good thing," said Imelda Maynard of Diocesan Migrant and Refugee Services. Meanwhile, Ellen Mitchell of The Hill takes an interesting look at the separate federal and state responses regarding the border. 

DAIRY FARMS — Current immigration policy is making it difficult for dairy farmers to fill and retain employment, reports Makenzie Huber of South Dakota Searchlight. "It’s holding South Dakota back economically," said South Dakota Farm Bureau Federation President Scott VanderWal. Some fear inaction around dairy-relevant immigration policy will lead to reliance on overseas production, and price increases. 

‘HE’S MAKING A MISTAKE’ — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ (R) stringent immigration measures are upsetting some Latino pastors who voted for him, Maria Sacchetti reports for The Washinton Post. "I can’t turn my back on someone who needs food because they don’t have documents," said Pastor David Monduy, a conservative evangelical who supports the governor on many other issues. "[DeSantis is] making a mistake." 

DIGNITY, SECURITY — The Southern Baptist Convention again has approved an immigration resolution, "affirming the inherent dignity of immigrants and refugees while asking government leaders to maintain robust avenues for asylum seekers to enter the country and take swift action to secure the border," Tobin Perry reports in Baptist Press. In a Lifeway Research survey last September, 80% of American evangelicals said they would support bipartisan immigration reforms that boost border security, provide solutions for undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children, and ensure a legal, reliable farm workforce.  

Thanks for reading, 

Dan