America’s CHILDREN Act of 2025

This bill, titled the America's CHILDREN Act of 2025 (also referred to as the Protecting Children of Long-Term Visa Holders Act of 2025), would create a new pathway to lawful permanent resident (LPR) status for a specific group of people who were brought to the United States as children. To qualify, an individual must have (a) long-term lawful presence in the U.S. as a dependent child of a nonimmigrant who was admitted to work in the United States, (b) at least 8 years in that dependent-child status, (c) at least 10 years of overall lawful presence in the United States, and (d) an earned degree from a U.S. higher education institution. If qualified, these individuals could become LPRs through a new petition process (section 204(a)(1)(M)) and would receive protections designed to preserve their place in line (priority dates) and their “child” status for immigration purposes as they move through the process. The bill also strengthens protections against aging out (age-out rules) and allows certain derivative dependents to adjust status, with work authorization for eligible dependents. The overall aim is to convert long-standing, noncitizen residents who grew up in the U.S. into permanent residents, while preserving orderly immigration processing through priority-date retention and related mechanics.