solution

Lawful Permanent Residents torn from their families for years is not a new problem.  Then Chairman Bruce Morrison authored language to solve the problem in 1990 and got the House to approve it.  The solution is simple — eliminate the numerical limit on the immigrant visas available to spouses and children of permanent residents.  This is known as immediate relative reclassification.

We believe that immediate relative reclassification is the best and permanent solution to the problem.

who are immediate relatives?

Under current law, spouses, minor children, and parents of U.S. citizens are immediate relatives.  There are no numerical limits on immigrant visas available to immediate relatives.  Immediate relative reclassification extends the same privilege to spouses and minor children of lawful permanent residents.

has this been proposed before?

Yes!  As mentioned above, the House approved a measure containing this language in 1990.  Unfortunately, the language was dropped in conference because the Senate Chairman of the Immigration Subcommittee did not agree to it.  It was proposed as an amendment (S. 1919) to the Senate version of Comprehensive Immigration Reform in 2006.  Unfortunately, it did not make it into the final Senate version.  Senator Clinton proposed it as an amendment to the Senate Comprehensive Immigration Reform package in 2007.  Unfortunately, that amendment was defeated through a procedural vote.

why will it work now?

Several reasons:

• We have hired Bruce Morrison as our lobbyist.  He knows the issue well, having championed it through the House in 1990.  In his opinion, immediate relative reclassification is still the best solution and is working to convince other lawmakers of that.
• Various lawmakers and their staff that we have spoken to in the last few months have indicated that they are in favor of a permanent solution to this problem.  Immediate relative reclassification is the best permanent solution.  Other alternatives are temporary solutions at best.

how do we get immediate relative reclassifcation enacted?

A lot of voices. 

Fortunately, the cause is based on something that has little controversy — family unity for legal immigrants — but changing any legislation is not a small matter, or a one person job.  We need help from you. 

Visit the Take Action page to learn how you can help.