Hill Democrats unveil immigration bill backed by White House
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden’s promised comprehensive immigration legislation hit the Hill on Thursday, but Democrats cautioned that the legislation represents the president’s “vision” for the system and not necessarily a bipartisan package.
“It’s our vision of what immigration reform should look like. And it’s a bill we can all be proud of,” Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey, who is introducing the bill in the Senate, said at a virtual press conference.
The 353-page draft bill would mark the first drastic overhaul of the U.S. immigration system in years.
It would include a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, including socalled Dreamers brought to the U.S. as children, ease the green card process for families and eliminate a rule requiring foreign citizens to apply for asylum within one year of entering the U.S., among other sweeping changes.
But Menendez acknowledged passing such a bill is “not going to be easy, and we recognize that.” Democrats hold just a slim majority in the Senate, and would need the support of at least 10 Republicans for the bill to move forward.
“I know that many are thinking, does this bill have any chance of passing the Senate with 60 votes? And the answer is, we won’t know until we try,” Menendez said.
He also signaled that other paths to pass immigration protections could be included in a budget reconciliation package, which could pass with a straight majority.
“While it would be a question of first impression in terms of reconciliation, I think there may be strong arguments to make it,” Menendez said. Democrats also indicated they would be willing to pass smaller standalone immigration bills where needed.
Rep. Linda T. Sanchez, D-calif, who is spearheading the House version of the bill, added that “all options are on the table.”
The newly unveiled legislation generally earned praise from the immigrant advocacy community, but Republicans gave a preview of their own opposition to some of its provisions. Florida Sen. Rick Scott, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, slammed the bill Thursday as “amnesty and open borders.”
“This is an unserious proposal that reflects how far left Senate Democrats have gone on the issue of immigration. Senate Republicans will not hesitate to share with the American people exactly how the Democrats’ open borders, amnesty proposal will put their families at-risk,” Scott said in a statement.
The legislation makes good on Biden’s campaign promise to put forth a comprehensive immigration bill with a fix for the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S., including those brought to the U.S. as children by their parents.
Biden sent a proposal to Congress on his first day in office, and the final product tracks closely with the summary he sent at the time.
The bill lays out an eight-year “earned path to citizenship” for undocumented immigrants who can pass a criminal background check, though waivers for convictions are available.
Under the process, they could apply for “lawful prospective immigrant status,” which would allow them to work legally in the U.S. and travel internationally for short trips. After five years, they could become permanent residents.
The citizenship track would be expedited for immigrants currently protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, and to those with Temporary Protected Status or Deferred Enforced Departure, which gives temporary immigration protections to individuals from countries in crisis.
Migrant farm workers could also be eligible for that streamlined process if they worked at least 2,300 hours or 400 work days in the agricultural space during the preceding fiveyear period.