Legislation

Legalization Through “Registry”

This fact sheet provides information on a provision called “registry” that allows certain non-citizens who are long-term residents of the United States, but who are either undocumented or present in the country under some sort of temporary immigration status, to “register” for Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) status. Read More

Coalition Outlines Immigration Priorities for a Just Budget in Fiscal Year 2023

The Council and more than 130 organizations urged the Biden administration to redirect government funding for fiscal year 2023 away from draconian enforcement measures and invest in legal services and community-based programming. Read More

Reconciliation and Immigration: What You Need to Know

On the day that President Biden took office, he promised to send a bill to Congress to create a path to legal status for undocumented immigrants. Unfortunately, that bill, the U.S. Citizenship Act, has made little progress since it was introduced in February. Even the passage in the… Read More

Congress Proposes Legislation to Expedite and Expand Special Immigrant Visas for Afghan Allies

As military troops withdraw from Afghanistan, Afghan nationals that supported the operations of the U.S. government—as translators and other vital roles—are in danger of violent retribution from Taliban forces. The Department of State offers resettlement to eligible Afghans through the special immigrant visa program, but slow processing and significant backlogs… Read More

DACA Has Allowed Me to Pursue Education, But We Need A Permanent Solution Now

My name is Hali Calzadillas-Andujo and I’m originally from Chihuahua, Mexico. I first came to the United States with my mother and siblings when I was eight years old. I didn’t even know what it meant, really, except that I was rejoining my father. I came to Santa Fe, New… Read More

Sinema and Cornyn Propose Changes to Asylum Processing at the Border

The current situation at the U.S.-Mexico border has once again exposed the flaws of our country’s asylum system. On April 22, Senators Kyrsten Sinema and John Cornyn and Representatives Tony Gonzales and Henry Cueller introduced a bipartisan, bicameral bill as an effort to alleviate some of the system’s greatest deficiencies. Read More

The House Has Passed Two Major Immigration Bills. Here’s What They Would Do.

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed two major bills to protect the rights of certain noncitizens entering the United States. The bills—the NO BAN Act and the Access to Counsel Act—passed on April 21. They would restrict presidential powers to institute travel bans and ensure access to attorneys… Read More

Republicans Introduced 11 New Anti-Immigration Bills. Here’s What’s at Stake If They Pass.

A group of Republican lawmakers recently introduced a slew of anti-immigration bills in the House of Representatives and Senate. The bills primarily target people’s rights to seek asylum in the United States, as well as re-up a laundry list of anti-immigration initiatives from the Trump administration. Read More

The House Passes Historic Dream and Promise Act and the Farm Workforce Modernization Act

The U.S. House of Representatives passed two immigration bills on March 18, signaling that Congress might finally enact major immigration reform for the first time in over three decades. These bills—the Dream and Promise Act and the Farm Workforce Modernization Act—both offer pathways to U.S. citizenship for many immigrants with… Read More