Two US senators have introduced legislation to promote family unity in the US immigration system by among other things seeking to raise per-country family-based immigration caps, allowing more visas to go to countries like India, China, Mexico, and the Philippines.
The Reuniting Families Act, introduced Wednesday by Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), also proposes to reduce the family-based immigration backlogs and update laws to reflect how families immigrate to the United States.
“By implementing changes to reduce the backlog of family-based immigration visas, exempting close relatives from visa caps, and preventing the separation of LGBTQ+ families, this bill will better prioritize family unity in our immigration system,” said Hirono.
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“Our country’s broken immigration system is riddled with unnecessary barriers that have created backlogs and kept families apart for years,” said Duckworth. “This legislation would implement commonsense reforms to help end family-based backlogs, which keep too many with approved green card applications stuck in bureaucratic limbo, and get more families where they belong—together.”
Specifically, the Reuniting Families Act would:
“Recapture” unused visas from previous years, adding them to the number of visas United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) may distribute;
Exempt close relatives from visa caps, extending the current exemption to spouses, unmarried children under 21, and certain parents of legal permanent residents;
Raise the per-country family-based immigration caps, allowing more visas to go to a single country such as India, China, Mexico, and the Philippines;
Provide discretion to the government when applying certain “bars” on individuals, eliminating unfair requirements for individuals to go to their home countries if that individual unlawfully entered the United States;
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Protect children from “aging out” after 21, extending protections for step-children and children of visa holders;
Expand cancellation of deportation orders, making it easier for noncitizens to apply in cases of extreme hardship to a family member who is a US citizen or legal permanent resident; and
Eliminate discrimination against LGBTQ+ families, ensuring our immigration system treats those in same-sex relationships equally, including resettling partners together with their refugee spouses and allowing spouses to come to the US if their partner is granted asylum.
Companion legislation was introduced in the US House of Representatives last year by Representative Judy Chu (D-CA), Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC).