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Partial Immigration Reform Approved by Democrats

AGREEMENT | President Joe Biden and Chuck Schumer, leader of the Democratic majority in the Senator, leaving the meeting with the Democratic caucus in the US Senate. (Photo / EFE)

INCLUDED IN BIDEN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT

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Speaking to the MSNBC network, Democratic Senator Bob Menéndez confirmed that within the 3.5 billion budget bill to improve infrastructure and advance social programs is a section aimed at legalizing millions of undocumented immigrants. Menéndez assures that this measure “opens the possibility of an immigration reform of some degree.”

The Senator from New Jersey indicated that currently there is only an agreement within the Democratic caucus in the Senate on this immigration reform plan. He said that the process of approval of this law is in its initial phase and that it was impossible to provide more details. Menéndez did not detail which groups of migrants would be eligible for citizenship.

However, for several weeks, democratic representatives and senators have already indicated that their priority would be to include those known as “dreamers” in the DACA program. Additionally, democratic lawmakers believe that beneficiaries of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and undocumented immigrants who have been considered essential workers during the pandemic must also be protected.

Express Procedure

The novelty of this partial immigration reform proposal is that it would not be approved according to the regular legislative approval mechanism. The reform would be part of one of the two budget laws promoted by the Biden administration to update and develop the country’s infrastructure. This bill for $3.5 billion would be approved by the budget reconciliation, which only requires a simple majority in the Senate.

This law must then be approved by the vote of the 50 Democratic senators plus the vote of Vice President Kamala Harris. President Biden has already met with senators from his party with a view to attaining consensus. Press reports indicate that there was an agreement. So far, no Democratic senator has rejected the immigration plan, not even Joe Manchin, Senator for West Virginia.

Schedule

The confirmation of the formula to advance immigration reform provoked a positive reaction from pro-immigrant activists. “This proposal includes expenses in legalization programs for immigrants so that they can participate adequately in the life of this country. We have been saying that if the United States wants to rebuild better, it must include immigrants.” said Angélica Salas, executive director of CHIRLA.

This abbreviated approval mechanism has been used since the 1980s to facilitate the approval of the nation’s budget. The bill would be approved by the end of August. In this way, the law would enter into force on October 1, 2021.