June 10, 2024

CORREA, OMAR INTRODUCE BILL TO KEEP IMMIGRANT FAMILIES TOGETHER

WASHINGTON — On Friday, Representatives Lou Correa (D-CA), the top Democrat on the House Border Security and Enforcement Subcommittee, and Ilhan Omar (D-MN) introduced the Child Status Fairness and Modernization Act, a bill aimed at fixing a flaw in our immigration system that separates families. Reps. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) are co-sponsors.

The bill targets a specific provision in the Immigration and Nationality Act. Currently, when immigrant parents petition for their children under 21, a safeguard known as the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) preserves the child's "minor" status throughout the often lengthy visa process. However, if the parent becomes a U.S. citizen after the child turns 21, the child is suddenly classified as an adult, pushing them into a visa category with a 5+ year longer wait time.

“Families belong together, and immigrant parents often have to undergo a complicated naturalization process without knowing what it might mean for their children,” Correa said. “Maintaining a child’s ‘minor’ status throughout the entirety of the visa process is a small change that can have a very real impact for many families that live separated in two different countries, like many do here in Orange County. In the face of our growing immigration backlog, this is not only a common-sense solution—it’s the right thing to do.”

"We should get rid of red tape that keeps families separated,” Omar said. “I am proud to partner with Congressman Correa to get rid of the unnecessary hurdles that are currently preventing children from being reunited with their parents. Our bill will ensure that a young person’s ‘minor status’ remains throughout the visa process which is a necessary change that will be life-changing for so many families.”

The proposed legislation modifies Section 201(f)(2) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Instead of using "the age of the alien on the date of the parent's naturalization" to determine status, it will use "the date on which the petition was initially filed." This change ensures that a parent's naturalization doesn't reset their child's age, keeping families together sooner.

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