Chair Barragán, Reps. Espaillat, Menendez Tout Immigration Principles for Second Session of 118th Congress
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, CHC Deputy Chair Adriano Espaillat and Rep. Rob Menendez, who serve as co-chairs of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Immigration Task Force, along with Chair Nanette Barragán, announced the CHC Immigration Principles for the second session of the118th Congress. These principles will guide the work of the CHC as it works on immigration reform initiatives aimed at fortifying the nation's values of welcoming immigrants.
“To whom much is given, much is required. As leaders of the CHC, we understand the breadth of what is at stake for the immigrant families seeking asylum here in America,” said CHC Immigration Task force Co-Chair Adriano Espaillat. “As Co-Chair of the CHC Task Force on Border and Immigration, I am proud to announce today’s rollout of our immigration priorities. The CHC is making clear our support of immigrants and reaffirming our actions to ensure our nation remains a beacon of hope and freedom for families now and future generations”
“Our broken immigration system has long been inconsistent with our American values and interests,” said CHC Immigration Task Force Co-Chair Rob Menendez. “Alongside Chair Barrágan and Immigration Task Force Co-Chair Espaillat, I am honored to release the CHC’s Immigration Principles which provide a framework for reforms that would restore compassion and order to our immigration system. These principles reflect the CHC’s longstanding work on behalf of immigrant communities, and we will continue to fight for fair and humane immigration policies.”
“These principles highlight the CHC's steadfast resolve to enact effective and humane comprehensive immigration policies that address the root causes of migration while treating immigrants with the dignity and compassion expected from America on the world stage,” said Chair Nanette Barragán. “The CHC will continue to work with the Biden administration, Congressional leadership, and state and local leaders, to advance necessary reform efforts that will strengthen our nation’s border security and ensure an equitable and accessible immigration system for all.”
Four framework pillars were identified in the development of the Task Force’s 18 policy proposals, including:
Immigration reform:
Protect America’s Dreamers and DACA Recipients.
America’s DACA-eligible individuals are vital contributors to our nation and deserve stability and a pathway to citizenship. Brought here at the average age of 6 years old at no fault of their own, the CHC will continue to urge the administration to establish new processes to inform DACA recipients of additional pathways for which they may be eligible and access those opportunities, including improved use of waivers and consular processing.
Create family reunification parole programs for additional countries to assist with backlogs.
USCIS’s current I-130 petition program allows family members of U.S. citizens located outside the U.S. to apply for green cards with assistance from their family in the U.S. However, those applicants cannot enter the U.S. until their green card applications are fully processed and approved – a process that takes several years due to backlogs. The CHC urges USCIS to expand its efforts and create family reunification parole programs for additional countries with large I-130 backlogs.
Fund community-based case management programs that decrease immigrant detention.
CHC recognizes that Community-based alternatives to detention, such as case management programs funded through FEMA, are more cost effective and humane than detention. We will focus on securing adequate funding for these programs to reduce our reliance on a for-profit detention system that incentivizes prolonged detainment, inadequate services, and poor medical care for detained individuals.
Increase funding for the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services for asylum processing, and legal representation programs for adults and guarantee access to counsel for asylum seekers in federal custody and increase.
More than 60% of people defending against deportation in U.S. immigration courts do not have a lawyer. Legal counsel drastically increases the prospect of a person obtaining protection and ensures court efficiency. Legal orientation programming is woefully inadequate to meet the need. CHC urges the consideration of guaranteeing legal counsel to asylum seekers who are awaiting their Credible Fear Interviews (CFIs) or have been released from federal custody.
Provide a pathway to citizenship for undocumented individuals in the United States and its territories.
Millions of immigrants have lived in the United States for years, enriching America’s economy while building families and homes in the U.S. The CHC recognizes how vital they are to our workforce and communities and acknowledges that they deserve the certainty of a permanent status. CHC urges Congress to enact legislation that provides a long-overdue pathway to citizenship for undocumented individuals who have contributed so much to America.
Immigration, Jobs and the Economy:
Advance protections for agricultural workers through the Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2023.
Farmworkers are the backbone of America. They feed our nation and support one of the most critical sectors of our economy. The CHC urges Congress to advance The Farm Workforce Modernization Act to reform the H-2A program to provide more flexibility for employers while ensuring critical protections for workers.
Grant redesignations of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for recently arrived immigrants and streamline TPS processes.
The CHC will continue to advocate that the Administration should continue to grant TPS redesignations to migrants fleeing dangerous national conditions. This will without a doubt help expedite work permits to address the labor shortage in America, while uplifting the working class. We also suggest the administration waive filing fees for all designated non-profits, community-based organizations, and municipalities assisting TPS applicants on a case-by-case basis to reduce the administrative burden for these organizations and streamline the process.
Facilitate access to work authorization for newly arrived immigrants.
The CHC urges Congress and the Administration to prioritize reducing wait periods for work permits, expand the use of parole, and fund work authorization processing to alleviate burdens on immigrants and communities. Current statutory and regulatory wait periods and delays in work authorization processing prevent many newly arrived immigrants from supporting their families, achieving financial stability, and contributing to the economy.
Update the INA registry cutoff date through H.R. 1511, the Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929.
Secure $10 billion for the Shelter and Services Program.
Delivering $10 billion to power the newly created Shelter and Services Program for communities and non-governmental organizations is critical for ensuring that migrants, many of whom are families with children, receive necessary lifesaving resources in a timely manner. Through direct grant assistance state agencies and NGOs can better plan to secure and maintain shelter space, provide orientation services, and arrange transportation instead of submitting reimbursement requests and waiting to be repaid. This will help stabilize families, and advance their path to good paying jobs.
Border Safety Issues:
Advance immigration protections through the Democratic bill, H.R. 3194, the U.S. Citizenship Act.
The CHC remains dedicated to delivering comprehensive immigration reform by supporting the U.S. Citizenship Act – which is a key piece of legislation would make critical reforms to our immigration system by expanding pathways to citizenship for migrants, addressing the root causes of migration, managing the southern border through the use of technology at ports of entry, and updating the immigrant visa system.
Establish a Humanitarian Visa for Pre-Screened Asylum Seekers.
The CHC urges Congress and the President should consider creating a new humanitarian visa offered to individuals who choose to get pre-screening for asylum in Latin America and have very credible cases based on overwhelming evidence presented. Individuals receiving humanitarian visas would be authorized to travel to the United States to have their asylum claims adjudicated.
Establish an Interagency Task Force.
Efforts to address migrants’ housing, social, and administrative processing needs are siloed. CHC strongly encourages the Administration to convene an interagency task force consisting of USCIS, FEMA, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to identify ways to expedite work authorization, clear the asylum processing backlog, and transition migrants out of shelter into affordable housing to reduce the strain on municipalities.
Expand Minor Reunification
Minors should be reunited with their families through a new external family reunification program for children and young adults under the age of 21 seeking to be reunited with a parent holding legal status in the United States. This would allow them to be paroled into the United States and united with their parent(s). They would be eligible to join their parent’s status as a dependent.
Keep American families together.
CHC supports legislation like the Protect Patriot Spouses Act and Protect Patriot Parents Act, which would protect the undocumented spouses or parents of military members by providing a path to legal residency, eliminating the threat of deportation, and upholding the unity of those who serve and sacrifice for our nation. CHC also urges the consideration of restoring judicial discretion within the CHC.
Regional Migration Concerns:
Support regional migration solutions in the Americas.
Humanitarian and development financing initiatives in coordination with the United Nations Refugee Agency, UNHCR, and the International Organization for Migration are needed for stabilization, regularization programs, migration pathways, and integration initiatives. This should include, but not be limited to, expanded access to refugee, labor, and family-reunification migration pathways through Safe Mobility Offices and deeper support for successful existing regional initiatives. Regional migration solutions must also include U.S. support for nearshoring, access to financing.
Provide funding to relieve the immigration court backlog.
More than 2 million cases are pending in our immigration courts, an amount that’s tripled since the start of fiscal year 2017. These delays create uncertainty for those caught in the backlog and prevent vulnerable populations from accessing protections for which they qualify under the law. It’s critical these backlogs are reduced. The CHC urges Congress to deliver funding for several hundred immigration judges, court operations, and additional personnel, beginning with $1.4 billion to support hiring 375 additional immigration judge teams, support the legal access program for two years, and fund the United States Digital Service partnership.
Reduce backlogs for an efficient legal immigration system and remove barriers that hinder American innovation and family reunification.
Legal immigration enriches the United States. That is why we must expand legal pathways for families, workers and diverse immigrants to come to the U.S. Congress should also raise the per-country caps for family and employment-based visas established in the Immigration Act of 1990, and the visa backlog should be capped at 10 years to provide those who have been waiting for a family-based or employment-based visa for 10 years or more with that visa.
Read the CHC Immigration Task Force Immigration Principles here.
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