US lawmakers will introduce on Thursday a comprehensive immigration reform bill that will seek to pave the way to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and, of interest to those from India, cut the wait time for green cards and allow dependents of some H-1B visa holders to work in the country.
The legislation, entitled the US Citizenship Act of 2021, will be introduced in the House by Representatives by Linda Sanchez and in the Senate by Bob Menendez.
It mirrors President Joe Biden’s immigration legislation, outlined in an announcement the day he took office on January 20.
This is the first attempt at a comprehensive immigration reform since 2013, when the measure put together by a bipartisan group passed the Senate with overwhelming support. But it collapsed because the House refused to even consider it. The last successful immigration reform was 30 years ago.
That’s the headwind faced by the Citizenship Act 2021. Republicans have already expressed reservations; their support will be critical to the passage of the legislation and enactment.
The bill establishes an eight-year path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who arrived in the US by January 1, an estimated 11 million. And an expedited process for farmworkers or those fleeing dangerous conditions in home countries, and to immigrants brought unlawfully as children.
Most importantly for Indians seeking US citizenship through work-based or family-linked visas, the country limit will be removed, which can keep some Indian-origin applicants in queue for green cards for decades.
The legislation, the text of which will be released by its co-sponsors later, will reflect these elements from Biden’s January 20 announcement: make it easier for graduates of US universities with advanced STEM degrees to stay; and eliminate other “unnecessary hurdles for employment-based green cards”.
The bill also provides dependents of H-1B visa holders work authorisation, and children are prevented from “aging out” of the system.