House Democrats introduce “rolling registry” bill for undocumented immigrants

Rafael Bernal on The Hill reports that, earlier this week, a group of House Democrats introduced a bill that would allow undocumented immigrants to regularize their immigration status after seven years in the country.  Introduced by California Democratic Reps. Zoe Lofgren, Lou Correa and Norma Torres, New York Democratic Reps. Adriano Espaillat and Grace Meng and Rep. Jesús García (D-Ill.), the bill would update the registry provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which have not been updated since 1986.  

The sponsors were joined by 46 Democrats supporting the bill.

Here is Representative Lofgren’s press release on the bill, which is named the “Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929.”  It would update Immigration and Nationality Act Section 249, known as registry.  According to the press release, the bill “would update the registry provision by moving the eligibility cutoff date so that an immigrant may qualify if they have been in the U.S. for at least seven years.” (bold added).

Bernal’s assessments is that “[i]f the rolling registry bill passes the House, it faces steep odds in the Senate, up against a packed legislative schedule and a 60-vote threshold due to the filibuster.”

KJ