US senators introduce legislation to reunite immigrant families, raise per-family visa cap

On Wednesday, Senators Mazie K. Hirono and Tammy Duckworth introduced the Reuniting Families Act, a comprehensive piece of legislation aimed at reuniting immigrant families and raising the per-country caps on family-based immigration visas. The proposed bill seeks to address significant backlogs in the immigration system and modernise laws to better reflect contemporary family dynamics.

As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Hirono emphasized the importance of family unity in the U.S. immigration system. “As the only immigrant currently serving in the U.S. Senate, I am proud to introduce the Reuniting Families Act to update our country’s family immigration system and promote family unity,” she stated. The bill also includes the Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act, which aims to expedite the visa process for children of Filipino World War II veterans.

Senator Duckworth highlighted the challenges posed by the current immigration system, stating, “Our country’s broken immigration system is riddled with unnecessary barriers that have created backlogs and kept families apart for years.” She called for common-sense reforms to alleviate these issues and reunite families who bureaucratic delays have separated.

Key provisions of the Reuniting Families Act include:

- Recapturing Unused Visas: The legislation would allow for the recovery of unused visas from previous years to increase the number available for distribution by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

- Exempting Close Relatives from Visa Caps: The bill would extend existing exemptions to include spouses, unmarried children under 21, and certain parents of legal permanent residents.

- Raising Per-Country Caps: The legislation aims to increase the number of family-based visas allocated to countries such as India, China, Mexico, and the Philippines.

- Protecting Children from Ageing Out: It proposes protections for children at risk of “ageing out” after turning 21, as well as expanded cancellation of deportation orders based on extreme hardship.

- Addressing LGBTQ+ Family Discrimination: The bill seeks to ensure equal treatment for LGBTQ+ families within the immigration system, including provisions for resettling partners and spouses together.

Advocacy groups, including Asian Americans Advancing Justice, have praised the legislation, noting that the last significant reform of the family-based immigration system occurred over 30 years ago in 1990. They assert that the current system has failed to uphold American values of family unity.

Todd Schulte, president of FWD.us, expressed support for the bill, stating, “The Reuniting Families Act offers smart and moral policies to help end the decades-long backlogs and modernize our family-based immigration system.”

Kiran Kaur Gill, Executive Director of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), emphasized the importance of this legislation in combating disinformation about immigrants and reaffirming the right for families to be together.

(With PTI inputs)