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Democrats unveil immigration plan with 8-year pathway to citizenship

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A bill unveiled by Democrats would enable Dreamers and some farmworkers to gain citizenship in about three years. The process would take eight years for other undocumented immigrants. Nancy Cordes has the details.

Video Transcript

- And back here to Washington, President Biden is hoping to do something no president has accomplished in 35 years, getting comprehensive immigration reform passed by Congress. His plan would put millions of undocumented immigrants on the path to citizenship. We have more now from CBS's Nancy Cordes.

NANCY CORDES: --evening. Tell me a little bit about why--

Tears of hope today from Angelica Salas.

ANGELICA SALAS: This has to change because there's too much pain and suffering.

NANCY CORDES: The immigrants her group helps in LA could eventually become citizens if the White House gets its way.

ANGELICA SALAS: It reforms our immigration system so our families can stay together.

NANCY CORDES: The bill Democrats unveiled remotely today would enable dreamers and some farmworkers to gain citizenship in about three years. The process would take eight years for most other undocumented immigrants, provided they entered the country before January 1, pass a background check, and pay taxes.

DONALD TRUMP: These are really dangerous, criminal aliens.

NANCY CORDES: The bill reverses many Trump-era policies, including tight caps on legal, family, and work visas.

BOB MENENDEZ: --which is a cornerstone of Trump's hateful horror show.

NANCY CORDES: Winning over Republicans won't be easy. Florida's Marco Rubio called the proposal "blanket amnesty for people who are here unlawfully." Even some Democrats worry it could motivate more migrants to try to cross the border.

Family arrests at the border jumped 60% the month President Biden took office. Mr. Biden said this week he may be open to passing these reforms in smaller chunks, instead of all at once.

JOE BIDEN: There's things that I would deal by itself but not at the expense of, saying, I'm never going to do the other.

NANCY CORDES: There are things he can do without legislation. Case in point, today the White House announced new guidelines for migrant arrests, directing ICE agents to prioritize the most pressing threats to national security when choosing who to detain and deport. [INAUDIBLE].

- Nancy Cordes at the White House. Thank you.

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