Sen. Menendez Of NJ Leads Charge For Biden Immigration Reforms

NEWARK, NJ — When President Joe Biden rolls out a sweeping immigration plan that may pave a pathway to citizenship for 11 million people, he’ll have a veteran Democratic lawmaker from New Jersey helping to lead the charge.

On Wednesday, Sen. Bob Menendez, who has an office in Newark, announced that he’ll be heading the legislative effort for the Biden-Harris administration’s immigration bill in the U.S. Senate.

Menendez, the son of Cuban immigrants, said the nation is ready to “turn the page on this dark chapter of our history” after four years of “relentless attacks” from the administration of President Donald Trump.

“This plan is not only about fixing our broken immigration system, but building a better one that reunites families, brings the undocumented community out of the shadows and on a path to citizenship, stands up for human rights, addresses root causes of migration, and includes a smart border security strategy,” Menendez said.

It won’t be easy, he added.

Referencing his membership in the “Gang of Eight,” a bipartisan group of federal lawmakers that tried to pass major immigration reform in 2013 – only to hit a roadblock from Republican opponents.

“As I prepare this bill for introduction, I know all too well from my work with the Gang of Eight that passing immigration reform through the United States Congress will be a challenging task,” Menendez conceded. “However, there is a moral and economic imperative to get this done.”

“Immigrants will always be our country’s greatest believers in the American Dream,” Menendez continued. “I have lived that dream – just as Vice President [Kamala] Harris has – and I look forward to working with her, President Biden, and their administration to build a 21st century immigration system that keeps the promise of this dream alive for generations to come.”

• See related article: NJ Immigrants Own 47 Percent Of 'Main Street' Businesses, Study Says

• See related article: NJ Advocates Demand COVID Aid For Immigrants, Find Ally In Church

U.S. IMMIGRATION: GOING BEYOND THE TRUMP YEARS

When asked to elaborate on Sen. Menendez’s priorities as he drafts the legislation, a spokesperson referred Patch to a fact sheet put forward by the Biden administration about what’s been dubbed as the “U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021.”

Some highlights include:

8-YEAR ‘ROADMAP TO CITIZENSHIP - The bill allows undocumented individuals to apply for temporary legal status, with the ability to apply for green cards after five years if they pass criminal and national security background checks and pay their taxes. Dreamers, TPS holders, and immigrant farmworkers who meet specific requirements are eligible for green cards immediately under the legislation. After three years, all green card holders who pass additional background checks and demonstrate knowledge of English and U.S. civics can apply to become citizens. Applicants must be physically present in the United States on or before January 1, 2021. The Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may waive the presence requirement for those deported on or after January 20, 2017 who were physically present for at least three years prior to removal for family unity and other humanitarian purposes.

FAMILY IMMIGRATION REFORM – The bill reforms the family-based immigration system by clearing backlogs, recapturing unused visas, eliminating lengthy wait times, and increasing per-country visa caps. It also eliminates the so-called “3 and 10-year bars,” and allows immigrants with approved family-sponsorship petitions to join their family members in the United States on a temporary basis while they wait for green cards to become available.

LIMITING BANS - The bill includes the NO BAN Act that prohibits discrimination based on religion and limits presidential authority to issue future bans. The bill also increases Diversity Visas to 80,000 from 55,000.

HELPING IMMIGRANTS INTEGRATE - The bill provides new funding to state and local governments, private organizations, educational institutions, community-based organizations, and not-for-profit organizations to expand programs to promote integration and inclusion, increase English-language instruction, and provide assistance to individuals seeking to become citizens.

If they pass through Congress intact, the Biden administration’s proposed reforms could offer a path to citizenship for an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States, NPR reported.

Critics, including Phil Valenziano, executive director of the New Jersey GOP, have blasted the proposed reforms as “a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants.”

But supporters such as advocacy group Make the Road New Jersey have praised Biden and Harris for putting forth a “dramatic and welcome departure from the racism and xenophobia of the Trump era.”

“Today, immigrants like me across the country can begin a new chapter,” said Olga Armas.

“We’re here because we fought tirelessly for our dignity,” Armas said. “We mobilized, we went to the courts and we helped our citizen brothers and sisters get to the ballot box. Now we begin repairing the damage and pain our communities have endured.”

The New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice said its members are "thrilled" that Menendez is leading the legislative charge for the Biden-Harris plan. But there's a lot more that needs to be done, the group added.

• Rescind Trump-era bans including the ban on Muslim Majority and African Countries, and the Migration Protection Protocols

• End the immigration system as we know it by ending ICE arrests, detention, deportation, border expulsions, and ending ICE and CBP’s ability to use state and local resources, such as the use of local jails to serve as ICE detention centers

• Restore asylum at the border and due process protections and appoint right to counsel for unrepresented immigrants

• Rescind regulatory changes like the harmful Public Charge wealth tests, caps on lottery and sponsorships, and the increased naturalization application, visa, and DACA renewal fees.

"As Joe Biden and Kamala Harris take office, their partnership with this movement will be what reinstates the United States as a beacon of hope, opportunity, and example of liberty and justice for all," New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice Executive Director Amy Torres said.

"This administration must act swiftly and boldly to de-normalize xenophobic, racist, and divisive policies," Torres said. "Without a fierce and unapologetic platform of justice and inclusion, the repercussions of the last four years will be felt for generations to come."

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This article originally appeared on the Newark Patch