Biden’s bill is being fought uphill, but these measures could succeed

Immigration lawyers and experts on the political spectrum do not expect the comprehensive immigration bill backed by President Joe Biden to succeed in Congress, just as it does – but the areas where their priorities are in line suggest bipartisan opportunities compromises.

Democrats enacted the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 on Feb. 18, which would establish an eight-year path to citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants, widen legal immigration routes, and reduce visa arrears, among other things.

Even with the introduction, the sponsors of the bill recognize the possibility of an alternative piece-by-piece approach to immigration reform.

“We are striving for an ‘all of the above’ strategy,” chief sponsor Linda Sanchez, D-California, told the news conference. “All options are on the table, and we hope to implement a robust immigration reform, but there are other major immigration bills that we will also take and hopefully pass.”

Democrats have a low majority in both chambers of Congress, and the legislation would require a minimum of ten Republican votes to defeat a Senate filibuster and pass the bill to a final vote.

That is unlikely to happen for this comprehensive bill. Republican lawmakers in particular do not support the broad road to citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants and demand greater security measures at the border.

“There is no one who says there is an easy way to pass this bill,” Jacinta González, senior campaign organizer for the advocacy group Mijente, said on Tuesday in a call with supporters. “We need to be really realistic and honest with our people about it.”

While advocates acknowledge that the comprehensive package is unlikely to succeed, they see the bill as a starting point for the legislative movement on immigration reform.

“There are pieces in the bill that have substantial support that, if taken separately, could indeed pass the law,” said Jorge Lima, senior vice president of policy at Americans for Prosperity.

For two decades, lawmakers have proposed legislation on two parties, called the Dream Act, that would provide a way to permanent legal residency and eventually citizenship for some young, undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children – known as ‘dreamers’. ‘.

In 2012, President Barack Obama created the program Deferred Action on Child Receipts after the Dream Act failed several times in Congress. DACA protects the young immigrants without papers covered by the Dream Act against deportation, but does not offer a way to citizenship.

About three-quarters of Americans, according to the June Pew Research Center survey, support permanent legal status to undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children.

The U.S. Citizenship Act would be a green card for dreamers who can provide work history and the opportunity to apply for citizenship after three years.

“We understand how significant this bill is to our Dreamer community, a community that had to fight every step of its way to be heard,” League of United Latin American Citizens CEO Sindy Marisol said at a City Hall in Feb. 18.

An estimated 1.3 million DACA-eligible individuals received $ 2.2 billion in federal taxes and $ 1.8 billion in state and local taxes in 2017, according to an analysis by the dual immigration research and advocacy organization New American Economy.

Immigration lawyers have pointed to U.S. law on dream and promise as a possible piece of cake.

The proposed legislation, passed in 2019 with dual support in the House, would create a path to citizenship for dreamers and those with temporary protected status or deferred forced departure. The latter two categories allow individuals from designated countries to stay in the US due to conflict or unsafe conditions in their home country.

“Addressing the undocumented population, especially the dreamers, is a wonderful piece we can focus on. It seems to be the one that is more promising,” said Lima of Americans for Prosperity.

The U.S. Citizenship Act will also entitle farm workers who can provide work history, and after three years to apply for citizenship, to be eligible for the green card.

According to a 2020 report by the National Immigration Forum, an immigration promotion group, more than one million farm workers make up 70 percent of the farm. Undocumented agricultural workers contribute $ 9 billion annually to the fruit and vegetable industry, the report found.

‘I think of our Republican congressmen who are already coming out with statements … I just want to remind them what food and vegetables they are eating and or what proteins they choose to eat, it was probably an immigrant who helped make sure they are fed, ‘said Benavides of LULAC.

Advocates and experts have raised the Farm Workforce Modernization Act as a proponent of stand-alone reform.

The legislation passed in the House in 2019 will create a path to citizenship for undocumented farm workers and reform the existing H-2A visa program for agricultural work.

“We have an example of what happens when a dual bill comes together,” said David Bier, immigration policy analyst at the Cato Institute’s libertarian think tank, on the Farm Workforce Modernization Act. “Historically, it has always been the Republicans who are campaigning for the expansion of these temporary visa programs.”

The comprehensive immigration bill supported by Biden contains several provisions that will expand legal immigration routes.

Proposed initiatives include raising the ceiling for immigrants based on employment, the spouses and children not based on their workers are not counted.

“Improving business immigration makes no sense to me. It doesn’t matter which side of the aisle you are on. Almost all of these provisions are actually helpful,” immigration lawyer Eleanor Pelta said.

Immigration lawyers have pointed to the impact of immigrants on the U.S. economy.

“The simple fact that hard-working, risk-taking, smart people want to come here is perhaps the United States’ greatest global competitive advantage,” Jeremy Robbins, executive director of New American Economy, said on February 18.

“Immigration brings new ideas, it brings new energy and dynamism, it makes communities more vibrant and it helps to stagnate our economy,” Robbins said.