The House has recently voted to pass two new bills that would have a major impact on a number of immigrants. Read on to learn more about the new bill for “dreamers” and farmworkers.
What is the New Bill?
Recently, the House voted to pass the American Dream and Promise Act. The proposal would allow more than 2.3 million unauthorized immigrants who came to the U.S. as minors, as well as beneficiaries of certain temporary humanitarian programs, to gain permanent legal status and eventually, U.S. citizenship. These immigrants are referred to as “dreamers.” The House also passed the Farm Workforce Modernization Act. According to CBSnews.com, this “would grant legal status to hundreds of thousands of farmworkers living in the U.S. without authorization.”
What Would the American Dream and Promise Act and Farm Workforce Modernization Act Accomplish?
CBSnews.com has broken down what these acts would accomplish if they become laws:
- The American Dream and Promise Act would make recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and other undocumented immigrants brought to the country before age 18 eligible to apply for a 10-year period of conditional permanent residence, provided they satisfy a number of residency requirements.
- Applicants would be eligible to apply for permanent residence if they:
- Earned a college degree or enrolled in a bachelor’s program for two years
- Served in the military for at least two years
- Worked in the U.S. for a three-year period.
- More than 300,000 immigrants living in the U.S. with Temporary Protected Status and Deferred Enforced Departure, two provisional forms of humanitarian relief, would automatically be eligible to apply for permanent residency under the bill, if they meet eligibility requirements.
- The Farm Workforce Modernization Act would allow immigrant farmworkers to apply for a temporary and renewable immigration status if they have worked at least 180 days in the U.S. during a two-year period.
- Eligible workers would be allowed to request green cards if they complete four or eight years of additional agricultural work, depending on whether they have performed such work for more than or less than 10 years.
If you have any questions about the new bills that have been passed and what is to come as a result, contact our firm to speak with an experienced immigration attorney.
Contact Our New York City Immigration Lawyers
Our law firm can explain all the opportunities associated with fiancé visas and help you through the entire procedure, as well as discuss whether this is a good option. For an initial consultation with a skilled immigration lawyer, contact the Law Office of Cheryl R. David in New York.
