Neela Pandya
WASHINGTON: Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi welcomed the release of the draft Build Back Better Act (H.R. 5376), which includes comprehensive high-skilled immigration reforms he fought for:
The draft Build Back Better Act amends the Immigration and Nationality Act registry cut-off date to allow individuals who entered the U.S. prior to January 1, 2010 to apply for green cards; recaptures family-sponsored and employment-based green cards unused since 1992; allows individuals with approved immigrant petitions to file for adjustment of status early upon payment of a fee; and exempts family-sponsored and employment-based applicants from numerical limits on visas for an additional fee.
“I am pleased that the Build Back Better Act legislation released last night in the U.S. House of Representatives will finally provide relief for the over 1.2 million high-skilled workers stuck in the employment-based green card backlog,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “Democrats have heard these workers’ heartbreaking stories of decades-long green card queues and children being forced to self-deport, and are now taking action. I would like to thank House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer in particular for their ongoing support for these critical reforms.”
Rep. Krishnamoorthy has long been a champion of reforming the immigration system for high-skilled immigrants. He is an original cosponsor of the Equal Access to Green Cards for Legal Employment (EAGLE) Act (H.R. 3648) and, along with Representatives Kathy Manning and Deborah Ross, led 40 Members of Congress in sending a letter to Speaker Pelosi and Leader Chuck Schumer on the importance of addressing the employment-based green card backlog in the Build Back Better Act. The Build Back Better Act legislation released recently was a compromise framework agreed to by the House, Senate, and the White House and still requires final passage in both Chambers of Congress.
