Correction: A previous version of this story misspelled Dip Patel's name in the caption of the photo. The error has been corrected. (June 16, 2023)

WASHINGTON — Immigration is a polarizing topic in Washington, but an immigration bill now being discussed on Capitol Hill has drawn support from members of both parties. The “America’s Children Act” focuses on the more than 250,000 people who began living in the United States as child dependents of parents with employment visas. 

This group is often referred to as documented Dreamers. They grew up in the U.S. with lawful status and attended American schools and universities, but once they turn 21, they may have to self-deport to the countries they were born in.

“As I was growing up, I realized that there was something different about the situation I was in, compared to my peers,” said Dip Patel, founder of the Improve the Dream advocacy group. “I wasn’t considered an American citizen, even though I considered myself one.”

Patel was born in India and came to the U.S. legally at age 9 when his parents moved their family to southern Illinois.

“They came on a visa that allowed them to start a small business that employs Americans,” Patel explained. “We really made our community, our city and the country our home.”

“Unfortunately, there’s gaps in our system where certain visas allow you to be here for an extended period of time, but not have a path to citizenship. Certain other visas allow people to be here, but they’re stuck in a long green card backlog,” Patel said.

According to Improve the Dream, roughly 87% of documented Dreamers pursue STEM degrees with plans to work in health care fields. Patel, now 27, works as a pharmacist but emphasized there is still uncertainty for him and other who want to become citizens.

“All the resources that were poured into us, we want to contribute back to America and stay here,” Patel said.

The “America’s Children Act” would ensure that anyone who was brought the U.S. legally as a child, has been here for 10 years and graduated from an American University would have the opportunity to become a permanent, lawful resident.

The bill has bipartisan support in both chambers. In the Senate, an unlikely duo of Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., are teaming up as co-sponsors.

“This is about righting a moral wrong that’s a byproduct of our outdated immigration system,” Padilla said at a press conference.

Paul echoed that statement t in an interview with Spectrum News.

“This particular group of Dreamers, I think, I have a great deal of sympathy for because they tried to obey all the rules. They didn’t break any rules to get here,” Paul told Spectrum News.

Paul believes that both parties could do a better job when it comes to immigration reform.

“Unfortunately, immigration has struggled for a solution because, and this is my opinion, but one side wants all or nothing,” Paul said.