Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) introduced the Fairness for Immigrant Families Act, her landmark immigration legislation designed to help hundreds of thousands of undocumented and mixed status families who have lived in the United States for long periods without a clear path to legal permanent residency. Through meaningful changes to the current broken immigration system, Senator Cortez Masto’s bill would address the most common issues in immigration law that keep undocumented immigrants from being able to adjust their status. This includes eliminating the 3- and 10-year bars, making reforms to the current system that would allow long-term residents with family ties in the U.S. and no criminal record to adjust their status, and combatting the notario fraud that has left many undocumented individuals vulnerable to deceitful practices.
One in five Nevadans is an immigrant, and Nevada has the highest proportion of undocumented residents of any state at seven percent. Furthermore, more than a quarter of a million Nevadans live with at least one undocumented family member, including one in seven U.S. citizen children. The Fairness for Immigrant Families Act would stop the cruel family separation that occurs every day in these communities and affects families who have been here for decades, as well as U.S. citizen children.
“For decades, many undocumented and mixed status families have called the United States home,” the Senator said. “They are the business owners, taxpayers, neighbors, and coworkerswho have become an integral part of our country’s diverse culture and economic strength. Yet, our immigration system as it exists today is broken and tears families apart who have established roots in our communities—and often include children who are American citizens—instead of providing ways to become legal permanent residents. My bill makes it clear that immigration is inextricably linked to the American experience. America deserves an immigration system that works, and I’ll continue fighting to make that a reality for the millions of immigrants who have lived in the shadows for too long.”
BACKGROUND:
The Fairness for Immigrant Families Act is endorsed by UnidosUS, SEIU, Make the Road Nevada, Immigrants’ List, the Immigration Hub, SEIU Nevada Local 1107, the African Community Center in Las Vegas, the Bangladeshi Association of Northern Nevada, and the Latino Research Center.
You can view the legislation text HERE and download a summary of the bill HERE.
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