An immigration bill that was proposed by the White House, would permit the undocumented immigrants to obtain United States Green Cards, within 8 years. This proposal also would help the US employers and business owners to check the immigration status of their employees within 4 years. Apart from that, all the undocumented immigrants in the United States would be allowed to apply for ‘Lawful Prospective Immigrant’ visas. If this bill is approved and signed into law, undocumented immigrants who apply for the Lawful Prospective Immigrant visa, will also be allowed to apply for provisional lawful status for their immediate relatives, who are living in foreign countries and bring them to the United States.
According to the immigration reform bill proposed by the White House, to become eligible for a Lawful Prospective Immigrant visa, an undocumented immigrant must pay the required fees, undergo background checks and submit biometric information. If the petitions filed by the undocumented immigrants are approved, they would be permitted to live in the United States for four years. During that four year period, they can work anywhere in the country and travel abroad for a certain period of time. This status will be subject to renewal and they can extend their visas at the end of the four year period.
People who have been placed in deportation proceedings and people in federal custody would also be allowed to apply for Lawful Prospective Immigrant visas. However, undocumented immigrants who are found to be criminals and who have been convicted of crimes, would be imprisoned and deported from the country. According to the draft, application forms and form instructions will be provided in languages that are commonly spoken by people in the United States but the applicants will have to submit the supporting documents only in English.
Undocumented immigrants who are eligible for the Lawful Prospective Immigrant visas, would be granted identification cards that would help them to prove that they are not undocumented immigrants. After eight years, undocumented immigrants who hold Lawful Prospective Immigrant visas, would be permitted to apply for lawful status and obtain Green Cards. However, they will have to pay their back taxes, learn English and know about the government and history of America, to apply for US citizenship. Similarly, a new fraud and tamper resistant Social Security card, will also be developed, if this bill is passed.
The border patrol would be increased and this bill would allow the Department of Homeland Security to add more immigration judges to deal with the undocumented immigrants who illegally cross the borders. This bill would require the US Customs and Border Protection, to find out whether a land-border crossing fee must be implemented in order to recover the costs. Apart from that, inspection fees that the people who cross the borders currently pay, would also be increased. According to this bill, Homeland Security will be allowed to accept donations from US citizens, US businesses and the state governments and such donations will be used to secure the borders and improve the US ports of entry. This immigration reform proposal, if passed will expand the e-verify program and the country will spend around $40 million, per year, to educate business owners in the United States, about the e-verify program.