I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4253 
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide for certain protec-
tions for aliens granted temporary protected status or deferred enforced 
departure, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 3, 2017 
Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ (for herself, Mr. TED LIEU of California, Ms. BASS, Mr. 
CROWLEY, Ms. NORTON, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mrs. DEMINGS, Mr. 
ESPAILLAT, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, Mr. GOMEZ, Mr. VARGAS, Mr. GRI-
JALVA, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mrs. TORRES, Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRIS-
HAM of New Mexico, Miss RICE of New York, Mr. CASTRO of Texas, and 
Mr. EVANS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide 
for certain protections for aliens granted temporary pro-
tected status or deferred enforced departure, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘American Promise Act 
of 2017’’. 
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SEC. 2. ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS FOR CERTAIN NON-IMMI-
GRANT NATIONALS GRANTED TEMPORARY 
PROTECTED 
STATUS 
OR 
DEFERRED 
EN-
FORCED DEPARTURE. 
Title II of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
U.S.C. 1101 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 
244 the following (and amending the table of contents ac-
cordingly): 
‘‘SEC. 244A. ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS FOR CERTAIN NA-
TIONALS IN RECEIPT OF TEMPORARY PRO-
TECTED STATUS OR DEFERRED ENFORCED 
DEPARTURE. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The status of any alien described 
in subsection (c) shall be adjusted by the Secretary of 
Homeland Security to that of an alien lawfully admitted 
for permanent residence, if the alien— 
‘‘(1) applies for such adjustment within 3 years 
after the date of enactment of this section; 
‘‘(2) is determined to be admissible to the 
United States for permanent residence; and 
‘‘(3) meets the criteria established under sub-
section (c) 
‘‘(b) CERTAIN GROUNDS FOR INADMISSIBILITY INAP-
PLICABLE.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—For purposes of deter-
mining admissibility under subsection (a)(2), the 
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grounds for inadmissibility specified in paragraphs 
(4), (5), (6)(A), and (7)(A) of section 212(a) of the 
Immigration and Nationality Act shall not apply. 
‘‘(2) ADDITIONAL
WAIVER
FOR
INDIVIDUAL 
ALIENS.—The Secretary may waive any other provi-
sion of section 212(a) in the case of an individual 
alien for humanitarian purposes, to assure family 
unity, or when it is otherwise in the public interest. 
‘‘(c) ALIENS ELIGIBLE FOR ADJUSTMENT OF STA-
TUS.—An alien shall be eligible for adjustment of status 
if the alien— 
‘‘(1) is a national of a country (or part of a 
country) with a designation under 244(b) of the Im-
migration and Nationality Act during the period 
specified in section 244(b)(2) and who was granted 
temporary protected status, or was otherwise eligible 
for temporary protected status, on or before October 
1, 2017, or has been granted Deferred Enforced De-
parture (hereinafter in this section referred to as 
‘DED’) on or before October 1, 2017; and 
‘‘(2) has been continuously physically present in 
the United States for a period of not less than 3 
years since the effective date of this Act’s enact-
ment. 
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‘‘(d) WAIVER AUTHORIZED.—Notwithstanding any 
provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act, an alien 
who fails to meet the continuous physical presence require-
ment under paragraph (2) of subsection (c) shall be con-
sidered eligible for status adjustment as provided in this 
section if the Attorney General or the Secretary deter-
mines that the removal of the alien from the United States 
would result in extreme hardship to the alien, their spouse, 
their children, their parents, or their domestic partner. 
‘‘(e) EFFECT
OF APPLICATION
ON CERTAIN OR-
DERS.—An alien present in the United States who has 
been ordered removed or has been granted voluntary de-
parture from the United States may, notwithstanding 
such order, apply for adjustment of status under this sec-
tion. Such alien shall not be required to file a separate 
motion to reopen, reconsider, or vacate the order of re-
moval. If the Secretary approves the application, the Sec-
retary shall cancel the order of removal. If the Secretary 
renders a final administrative decision to deny the applica-
tion, the order of removal shall be effective and enforce-
able to the same extent as if the application had not been 
made. 
‘‘(f) WORK AUTHORIZATION.—The Secretary shall 
authorize an alien who has applied for adjustment of sta-
tus under this section to engage in employment in the 
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United States during the pendency of such application and 
shall provide the alien with an appropriate document signi-
fying authorization of employment. 
‘‘(g) ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS FOR CERTAIN FAMILY 
MEMBERS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The status of an alien shall 
be adjusted by the Secretary to that of an alien law-
fully admitted for permanent residence if the alien— 
‘‘(A) is the spouse, parent, or unmarried 
son or daughter of an alien whose status is ad-
justed under this section; 
‘‘(B) applies for adjustment under this sec-
tion within 3 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act; and 
‘‘(C) is determined to be admissible to the 
United States for permanent residence. 
‘‘(2) CERTAIN GROUNDS FOR INADMISSIBILITY 
INAPPLICABLE.—For purposes of determining ad-
missibility under subsection (g)(1)(C), the grounds 
for inadmissibility specified in paragraphs (4), (5), 
(6)(A), and (7)(A) of section 212(a) shall not apply. 
‘‘(h) AVAILABILITY OF ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW.— 
The Secretary shall provide to aliens applying for adjust-
ment of status under this section the same right to, and 
procedures for, administrative review as are provided to— 
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