<p>Immigration reform is a hot topic &#8211; the subject has seen more press attention in the past few months than in the prior few years combined.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1598" alt="Immigration Reform" src="https://medusamagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Immigration-Reform.jpg" width="600" height="349" /></p>
<p>A burgeoning Latino population in the United States and the 2012 presidential election results (Obama received 70% of the Latino vote, forcing Republicans to take notice and consider a more centrist approach to immigration issues) are the impetus for serious consideration of a major overhaul of US immigration law and policy.</p>
<p>Even many of those who in the past staunchly opposed a softer line on how to deal with thorny immigration matters such as the treatment of the nation’s 11.5 million person undocumented population are suddenly singing a different tune &#8211; in short,</p>
<p>comprehensive immigration reform seems likely to happen in the coming year, if not the coming months.</p>
<p>This article details some of the highlights of a bill pending in the US senate that has a very good chance of ultimately becoming law and marking the first major change to USA immigration law in decades.</p>
<p><strong>Proposed US Immigration Law Changes &#8211; The Highlights</strong></p>
<p><strong>Securing the Border</strong></p>
<p>The proposed immigration law aims to secure the border, particularly the US’ southern border.</p>
<p>It allots some $3 billion to this end, and requires a “fencing plan” and a 90% success rate with respect to catching illegal border crossers before the Registered Provisional Immigrant program (discussed below) can begin.</p>
<p>It also requires that immigration authorities establish a program to track non-citizens exiting the country.</p>
<p><strong>Registered Provisional Immigrant Program</strong></p>
<p>The registered provisional immigrant (RPI) program envisioned in the proposed law would provide a pathway to legal status, a green card and ultimately US citizenship for many of the 11 million-plus individuals who are presently in the US and who are not in legal status (i.e., illegal immigrants).</p>
<p>To qualify as a registered provisional immigrant, a person must:</p>
<p>• Have entered the US by December 31, 2011, and have been physically present in the country since then;<br />
• Pay a fine of $500 (in addition to an RPI application fee);<br />
• Pass a background check (a serious crime will make a person ineligible for RPI status); and<br />
• Pay any taxes they might owe.</p>
<p>These people can stay and work legally in the US for ten years, at which time they will become eligible to apply for a US green card.</p>
<p>Once they get a green card through adjustment of status they enter a three year period after which they are eligible to apply for US citizenship.</p>
<p>Individuals who enter the US before age 16 and who have completed high school can get a green card, and immediately thereafter US citizenship, after being a registered provisional immigrant for just five years, thanks to the DREAM Act provision included in the bill.</p>
<p><strong>Short-Term Visa Changes</strong></p>
<p>The bill would provide for more H-1B visa issuances each year than are possible now, and would also make the H-2B returning worker program permanent.</p>
<p>It would create a new visa class for lower-skilled workers, called the “W visa,” and also establish a new work program for agricultural workers.</p>
<p>It would create a “V visa” class that would allow foreigners to visit certain family members in the US for up to two months during the year.</p>
<p>The proposal also envisions a “merit-based” visa, which would use a points system to afford visas to remain and work in the USA.</p>
<p>The points system for the merit visa will take into account things such as employment, length of time spent in the United States, and education; some of these visas will be dedicated to low-skilled and high-skilled workers.</p>
<p><strong>Family-based Green Card Changes</strong></p>
<p>If it becomes law, the proposal would make the process of getting a green card for the spouses and children (who are under 21 and unmarried) of a green card holder much faster, and eliminate long wait-times for many other classes of green card seekers.</p>
<p>On the other hand, the bill would do away with the ability of a US citizen to sponsor their siblings for a USA green card.</p>
<p><strong>About the author</strong></p>
<p>Brad Menzer blogs for the law firm Heartland Immigration.</p>
<p>The firm assists individuals in the full range of US immigration law matters, from obtaining an <a href="http://www.heartlandimmigration.com/Family-Matters/Waiver-of-Inadmissibility.aspx"><i>inadmissibility waiver</i></a> to applying for US citizenship and everything in between.</p>

Comprehensive Immigration Reform – What’s it All About?
