The United States' Democratic party introduced a Citizenship Act which, among other things, seeks to eliminate the country-quota for green cards and make changes in the much sought-after H-1B visa system.
Immigration reform has been a key plank of the Biden Administration and is seen as a way for the US to ease diplomatic relations with nations like Mexico, in contrast to conservative Republicans' tightening border controls during Donald Trump's presidency.
The US Citizenship Act 2023 introduced by Congresswoman Linda Sanchez creates an earned roadmap to citizenship for all 11 million undocumented immigrants, providing Dreamers, TPS holders, and some farmworkers with an immediate path to citizenship, a statement read.
It also stands to provide the undocumented immigrants who pass background checks and pay taxes with a five-year path to citizenship without fear of deportation. It proposes to make changes to the employment-based immigration system by eliminating per-country caps.
The Act seeks to make 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 authorisation, and preventing children of H-1B holders from ageing out of the system.
The much-sought-after H-1B visas are issued for three years at a time. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries such as India and China.
Also read: Need to modernise H-1B Visa lottery system to counter fraud, abuse: US Immigration Agency
A Green Card, known officially as a Permanent Resident Card, is a document issued to immigrants to the US as evidence that the bearer has been granted the privilege of residing permanently.
The bill also creates a pilot programme to stimulate regional economic development and incentivises higher wages for non-immigrant, high-skilled visas to shield them from unfair competition with American workers.
The Citizenship Act proposes to reform the family-based immigration system to keep families together by recapturing visas from previous years to clear backlogs, including spouses and children of green card holders as immediate family members, and increasing per-country caps for family-based immigration.
It also eliminates discrimination facing LGBTQ families, provides protection for orphans, widows, and children, and allows immigrants with approved family-sponsorship petitions to join family in the US on a temporary basis while they wait for green cards.
Earlier this year, a presidential advisory commission discussed the possibility of issuing employment authorisation cards in early stages of green card application, a move if approved by the Biden administration would end the agonising wait for a green card.