Two Democratic Senators have introduced a new bill aimed at reuniting immigrant families and increasing the per-country caps for family-based immigration. Senators Mazie K. Hirono, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Tammy Duckworth introduced the Reuniting Families Act, designed to reduce family-based immigration backlogs, and modernize immigration laws to align with current migration patterns.
Mazie K. Hirono said “As the only immigrant currently serving in the US Senate, I am proud to introduce the Reuniting Families Act to update our country’s family immigration system and promote family unity”.
Explaining further, she said “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”.
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US Immigration reforms that the bill seeks
The proposed legislation aims to “recapture” unused visas from previous years, adding them to the pool available for distribution by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The bill also seeks to exempt close relatives, including spouses, unmarried children under 21, and certain parents of legal permanent residents, from visa caps. The cap refers to the limit of H-1B visas allowed per federal fiscal year (FY).
Additionally, it aims to raise per-country limits on family-based immigration, allowing countries like India, China, Mexico, and the Philippines to access more visas. It grants the government discretion in applying certain “bars” on individuals, removing unfair requirements that force individuals who entered the U.S. unlawfully to return to their home countries to seek legal status.
The legislation includes measures to protect children from “aging out” when they turn 21, extending protections to stepchildren and children of visa holders. It also expands the criteria for canceling deportation orders, making it easier for noncitizens to stay in the US if deportation would cause extreme hardship to a US citizen or legal permanent resident family member.
Furthermore, the bill addresses discrimination against LGBTQ+ families by ensuring equal treatment for those in same-sex relationships. It allows refugee spouses and partners to be resettled together and enables spouses of individuals granted asylum to join them in the US.
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