Included in the legislation are provisions that:
(1) reduces legal immigration backlog, including family-sponsored and employment-based immigration;
(2) provides permanent resident status adjustment for qualifying undocumented immigrants who have been in the U.S. for five years (status adjustment includes spouses and children); also establishes a pilot program for qualifying agricultural workers to adjust to permanent resident status;
(3) requires undocumented immigrants to depart from the U.S., but authorizes application for reentry for qualifying undocumented immigrants residing in the U.S. between two and five years who follow mandatory departure procedures;
(4) allows undocumented students raised in the U.S. to apply for legal status and potentially qualify for in-state resident tuition for public colleges and universities;
(5) provides state court grants to assist individuals with limited English proficiency to access and understand court proceedings, and allocates funds for a related court interpreter technical assistance program;
(6) establishes a temporary guest worker program with U.S. worker protections to fill jobs that are not filled by American workers;
(7) authorizes construction of 370-mile fence and 500 miles of vehicle barriers on U.S.-Mexico border; increases border patrol officers; authorizes use of national guard to patrol U.S.-Mexico border;
(8) requires mandatory expedited removal (with no immigration hearing) and/or mandatory detention for individuals entering the U.S. without documentation; allows for indefinite detention at discretion of Department of Homeland Security;
(9) expands state and local enforcement of federal immigration laws;
(10) increases penalties for failing to file change of address forms for legal immigrants.
The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association has information related immigration legislation.
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