The Senate’s side of the Capitol Building in DC. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The “Gang of Eight” has just submitted a new proposal for Immigration Reform to the United States Senate.  The bill is known as “Act of Congress 2013 border security, economic opportunity, and modernization of the immigration laws.»

Aside from strengthening the country’s borders, the new law would establish a mechanism for the legalization of nearly 11 million undocumented immigrants in the USA.  The undocumented immigrants may apply for registered provisional immigration status, which may allow them to legally work in the United States.  The undocumented immigrants will be required to pay a fine, file all back taxes, learn English and undergo a background check.

Ten years after obtaining registered provisional immigration status, the undocumented immigrant would then be eligible to file for permanent resident status, and eventually apply for US citizenship.   The 800(+) page bill was submitted to the Senate on April 17, 2013, and the “Gang of Eight,” which includes four Republican Senators and four Democrat Senators, plan to meet with President Obama shortly to discuss the bill.

Here are the key points and which may be of interest:

Who Would Qualify?  

1. People who entered the U.S. or were in the United States by 31 December 2011;
2. The so-called «Dreamers»
3. Workers engaged in agricultural work in the USA;
4. People with undocumented status in the USA;
5. Individuals who are outside the United States after having been removed from the country, with the condition that they can prove that they resided, or that they settled in United States prior to December 31, 2011; and that they were deported or voluntarily accepted deportation.  They must also establish that the deportation was not the result of a crime and that they are the spouse, parent, or child of a U.S. citizen or a legal resident, or that the applicant is a «Dreamer» (students that are children of illegal residents in the United States); and,
6.  Individuals facing deportation proceedings in the United States Immigration Courts.

How long could the process last?

According to the information we have thus far, the applicants will have one year from the date when the law is implemented to submit their applications to the government.

Conditions Imposed By The Bill For The Undocumented Who Want To Legalize Their Status:

1. Applicants must learn to speak English;
2. They must undergo a criminal background check;
3. Pay a fine of $500, and
4. Applicants must be on a waiting line behind others who are already waiting to complete their process of citizenship.

For more information or to discuss your particular case, please do not hesitate to contact us.  We also would like to remind you that the new process for waiver applications took effect in March of 2013, and we can now file the requests for waivers while the applicant is still in the United States.

By

Renata Calderaro, Esq. 

The Calderaro Tyrrell Law Group

Immigration Attorneys

Miami:                                                                                 Fort Lauderdale:

Telephone:        305-938-8391                                     Telephone:        954-376-6161

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