Jayapal Leads Bipartisan Effort To Modernize Immigration System

India-West Staff Reporter

SEATTLE, WA – Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), the Ranking Member of the Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee, is spearheading an initiative with 16 bipartisan Members of Congress to urge the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to advance a proposed rule aimed at reforming the immigration system.

In a letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and USCIS Director Ur Jaddou, the lawmakers highlighted the urgent need for immigration reform, criticizing Congress’s longstanding failure to address the issue. “The current immigration system is broken and in need of dire reform,” the Members wrote. “The Department has the ability under existing law to improve the immigration system so that it better serves American families and the economy. Over the past several years, the Department has taken important steps to improve the immigration system, but more can and should be done.”

The proposed rule seeks to modernize and streamline the U.S. immigration system by addressing several key issues, including reducing processing times and promoting the use of immediately available visas. Significant changes under the proposal include:

-Revising the age calculation under the Child Status Protection Act to provide more clarity and consistency for children at risk of aging out of their status, commonly known as documented Dreamers.

-Authorizing employment for certain dependents, including spouses and documented Dreamers, who are in the United States awaiting green cards.

-Providing relief for individuals stuck in the employment-based green card 4th Preference category backlogs, including religious workers.

-Amending regulations regarding travel authorization for recipients of Temporary Protected Status.

-Allowing individuals flexibility in their jobs while lawfully in the U.S. on temporary visas and awaiting their green cards.

Jayapal and her colleagues emphasize that while the proposed rule is a significant step forward, it is a necessary measure to address the ongoing challenges within the immigration system and to better serve both American families and the economy.