Reuniting Families Act in the 111th Congress

The Issue

The quotas we have set to admit immigrants legally have not changed since 1990.  Since then, demand for immigration visas has steadily increased, as U.S. citizens and legal permanent resident immigrants seek to bring their close family members to the U.S.  Huge backlogs have developed so that, for immigrants from certain countries in certain categories of the family system, the wait for a visa can stretch for more than a decade.

While comprehensive immigration reform will include reforms in the admission system to reduce family backlogs, there has also been legislation introduced in the 111th Congress to specifically address this problem.

The Legislation

• Reuniting Families Act
  S. 1085, introduced in the Senate by Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA), and Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY). (List of co-sponsors)

  H.R. 2709,  introduced in the House by Rep. Michael Honda (D-CA). (List of co-sponsors)

Among other things, this legislation would re-classify the spouses and minor children of permanent resident immigrants as “immediate relatives” (thus treating them in the admission system the same as the spouses and minor children of citizens); it would “re-capture” visas unused during the years 1992 to 2007 due to bureaucratic delays; and provides waivers for bars to admission for certain individuals.  The House bill would treat permanent partners as family members for the purposes of the family-based immigration system.

Status

The legislation was introduced on May 20, 2009, in the Senate and June 4, 2009, in the House.

For More Information

• Summary: Section-by-section Analysis of S. 1085, American Immigration Lawyers Association.
• Summary: The Reuniting Families Act, Asian American Justice Center (Summary of H.R. 2709).