Washington :
On Wednesday, Senator Alex Padilla, along with Senators Elizabeth Warren, Ben Ray Lujan, and Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, introduced the Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act in the Senate.
The proposed legislation aims to create a pathway to a Green Card for approximately 8 million people,
including H-1B and long-term visa holders, as well as Dreamers.
To qualify for lawful permanent resident status, immigrants must have resided continuously in the United States for at least seven years.
This bill is seen as a much-needed measure to address current immigration issues.
“Our outdated immigration system is hurting countless people and holding back America’s economy.
My bill would update the Registry cutoff date for the first time in more than 35 years so that more immigrants can apply for legal permanent residence,” said Padilla.
“This could have a profound impact on millions of immigrants, some who have been living, working, and contributing to the United States for decades,
by allowing them to live freely without the fear of an uncertain future,” he said.
A Permanent Resident Card, commonly known as a Green Card,
is a document issued to immigrants in the United States as evidence that they have been granted the right to reside permanently.
The proposed legislation would create a pathway to a Green Card for up to 8 million individuals, including Dreamers, TPS holders, children of long-term visa holders facing deportation, essential workers,
and highly skilled members of the workforce such as H-1B visa holders who have been waiting for years for a Green Card to become available.
The bill is expected to address the current immigration issues by providing the much-needed pathway.
According to FWD.us, a pro-immigration lobbying group, if undocumented individuals covered under this bill obtain citizenship, they could contribute approximately $83 billion to the US economy annually and pay approximately $27 billion in taxes.
Companion legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives by Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren.
“For decades, immigrants who contribute significantly to our communities and our economy have been relegated to a legal limbo,” said Lofgren, Chair of the House Subcommittee on Immigration.
“Updating this historically-bipartisan provision to provide lawful permanent resident status to immigrants who have been a part of our communities for years will make our immigration system fairer and our country stronger,” she said.
Lawmakers have pointed out that Section 249 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which is also known as the Registry, grants the Secretary of Homeland Security the discretion to register certain individuals for lawful permanent resident status if they meet certain requirements and have been in the country since a particular date.
Section 249 was first established in 1929, and it has been amended by Congress four times, most recently in 1986.
However, there have been no further modifications since 1986, and the eligibility cutoff date remains January 1, 1972, which is more than 50 years ago.
Green Card applicants currently residing in the United States have welcomed this decision.
“We applaud the bold leadership of Senators Padilla, Lujan, Warren, and Durbin to move Congress to update the registry, an existing immigration law that has not been revised in over 35 years.
An update of the registry will provide immigrants the ability to access permanent residency,” said Angelica Salas, CHIRLA executive director.