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IMMIGRATION RELATED BILLS PENDING BEFORE 109tth CONGRESS
Lal Varghese, Attorney at Law, Dallas
Below is a list of featured immigration-related bills introduced in the 109th Congress. The list is organized by topic, with Senate bills listed first. The letter S denotes the ‘Senate’ bill and the letter H. R denotes ‘House of Representatives’.
Adjustment of Status/Family Unification:
S. 1278 The Uniting American Families Act or the Permanent Partners Immigration Act:
Introduced on June 21, 2005 by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), S. 1278 would provide a mechanism for U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents to sponsor their permanent partners for residence in the United States. S. 1278 defines the term “permanent partner” to mean an individual 18 years of age or older who: (a) is in a committed, intimate relationship with another individual 18 years of age or older in which both parties intend a lifelong commitment; (b) is financially interdependent with that other individual; (c) is not married to or in a permanent partnership with anyone other than that other individual; (d) is unable to contract with that other individual a marriage cognizable under the INA; and (e) is not a first, second, or third degree blood relation of that other individual. The bill is companion legislation to H.R. 3006 below.
H.R. 3006 The Uniting American Families Act or the Permanent Partners Immigration Act:
Introduced on June 21, 2005 by Representative Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and 57 cosponsors, H.R. 3006 would provide a mechanism for U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents to sponsor their permanent partners for residence in the U.S. The bill defines the term “permanent partner” to mean an individual 18 years of age or older who: (a) is in a committed, intimate relationship with another individual 18 years of age or older in which both parties intend a lifelong commitment; (b) is financially interdependent with that other individual; (c) is not married to or in a permanent partnership with anyone other than that other individual; (d) is unable to contract with that other individual a marriage cognizable under the INA; and (e) is not a first, second, or third degree blood relation of that other individual. The bill is companion legislation to S. 1278 above.
Asylum/Special Immigrants:
S.119 The Unaccompanied Alien Child Protection Act of 2005:
Introduced on January 24, 2005, by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), S. 119 would build upon the Homeland Security Act, which transferred the care and custody of unaccompanied alien children from the former INS to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). Among other things, the bill would: ensure that unaccompanied alien children have access to counsel; give ORR the authority to provide guardians ad litem to such children; establish minimum standards for the care and custody of unaccompanied alien minors; and strengthen policies for permanent protection of unaccompanied alien children. The bill is similar to legislation that Senator Feinstein introduced in the 108th Congress. A House companion bill was introduced on March 8 (H.R. 1172).
H.R. 1172 The Unaccompanied Alien Child Protection Act of 2005:
Introduced on March 8, 2005 by Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), H.R. 1172 would build upon § 462 of the Homeland Security Act, which transferred the care, custody and placement of unaccompanied alien children from the Department of Justice to the Department of Health and Human Service’s Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). H.R. 1172 would ensure that the transfer of responsibilities from the DHS to the ORR occurs in an orderly manner, that the children have access to counsel during immigration proceedings, and would provide the ORR with the authority to appoint guardians ad litem where appropriate. The legislation would also establish minimum standards for the care and custody of unaccompanied alien children and reform procedures for abused, abandoned, or neglected children to access permanent protection when such protection is warranted. Senator Dianne Feinstein introduced companion legislation in the Senate on January 24 (S. 119).
Driver’s Licenses/ID Documents:
H.R. 815 The Financial Customer Identification Verification Improvement Act:
Introduced on February 15, 2005, by Representative Scott Garrett (R-NJ), H.R. 815 would prohibit financial institutions from accepting any form of identification that was issued by a foreign government, other than a passport, for use in verifying the identity of a person in connection with the opening of an account at the financial institution, including a matricula consular issued in the United States by a consular officer of the Government of Mexico. The bill is similar to legislation that Representative Garrett introduced in the 108th Congress.
H.R. 368 The Driver’s License Security and Modernization Act:
Introduced on January 26, 2005, by Representative Tom Davis (R-VA), H.R. 368 would establish and implement regulations for State driver’s license and identification document security standards. (to be continued in the next issue)
Disclaimer: Lal Varghese, Attorney at Law does not claim authorship for above referenced information. Lal Varghese, Attorney at Law or the publisher is not responsible or liable for anything stated above, since it is generalized information about the subject matter collected from various sources including Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice, State Department, Federal Register, and American Immigration Lawyer’s Association (AILA) Advocacy Center, and other legal sources. For individual cases and specific questions you are advised to consult an attorney of your choice or contact the agencies mentioned above. You can reach Lal Varghese, Attorney at Law at (972) 788-0777 or (972) 788-1555 or Fax (972) 788-2202 or at e-mail: attylal@aol.com, for a free consultation on this subject matter. You can visit our website at: www.indiaimmigrationusa.com for more information about other related immigration matters.
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