Proposal for a path to citizenship to 11 million undocumented migrants

The legislation would benefit hundreds and thousands of Indian IT professionals and their families

 WASHINGTON (TIP): Lawmakers and White House officials unveiled sweeping immigration legislation Thursday, February 18, including a proposal for a path to citizenship for roughly 11 million migrants living without legal status in the USA. “We’re here today because last November, 80 million Americans voted against Donald Trump and against everything he stood for. They voted to restore common sense, compassion and competence in our government, and part of that mandate is fixing our immigration system,” Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., said in a virtual news conference.The plan is based on the comprehensive immigration legislation proposal President Joe Biden introduced on his first day in office. A bicameral US Citizenship Act of 2021 proposing a pathway to citizenship to 11 million undocumented workers, elimination of per-country quota for employment-based green cards and work authorization for dependents of H-1B foreign workers, was introduced in the Congress, February 18. The bill, if passed by both the chambers of the Congress – House of Representatives and the Senate – and signed into law by President Joe Biden would bring citizenship to millions of foreign nationals, including undocumented whether they came legally or illegally.

The legislation would also benefit hundreds and thousands of Indian IT professionals and their families.

Authors of the bill – Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Congresswoman Linda Sánchez (D– Calif)- told reporters that the US Citizenship Act of 2021 established a moral and economic imperative and a vision of immigration reform that is expansive and inclusive.

It grows the economy by making changes to the employment-based immigration system, eliminating per-country caps, making it easier for STEM advanced degree holders from US universities to stay, improving access to green cards for workers in lower-wage industries, giving dependents of H-1B holders work authorization, and preventing children of H-1B holders from aging out of the system.

“I am the daughter of immigrant parents from Mexico. I have dedicated my career to building an immigration system that lets people live without fear, and a system that gives immigrants – like my parents – who sought a better life and contribute to our nation a fair opportunity to thrive,” Sanchez said.

“Immigrants contribute greatly to our country and society. They own businesses, pay taxes and teach our children. They are our coworkers, neighbors and friends,” said Menendez.

“We have a historic opportunity to finally enact bold immigration reform that leaves no one behind, addresses root causes of migration, and safeguards our country’s national security. We have a moral and economic imperative to get this done once and for all,” he said.

The ruling Democrats have a majority in both the House and Senate. However, in the upper chamber, they need support of 10 Republicans to get the legislation through the Congress before it can be signed into law.

The Democratic leadership and the White House hope that they will get the necessary support in the interest of millions of non-citizens living in the country. (With inputs from PTI and other agencies)