Bill to raise refugee admissions cap to 125,000 introduced in Congress

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
22 Mar 2023 19:08

The bill would lay the grounds for the establishment of a National Office of New Americans to promote the integration and inclusion of immigrants and refugees, the statement says.

Afghan refugees walk through an Afghan refugee camp at Joint Base McGuire Dix Lakehurst, N.J., on Sept. 27, 2021 (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

US Congresswoman Grace Meng and Senator Edward Markey reintroduced a bill on Wednesday aiming to promote the inclusion of new immigrants to the US and raise the cap of admissions for eligible refugees every year.

According to a statement issued by Congresswoman Meng's office, the bill dubbed the New Deal for New Americans Act, was introduced in both chambers of Congress.

"I am proud to reintroduce this visionary roadmap for an immigration system that isn’t only centered on enforcement and penalties, but instead prioritizes support for refugees and migrants as they navigate their new homeland and participate in the social, economic, and civic life of their communities," Markey is quoted as saying in the statement.

The #NewDealForNewAmericansAct improves our immigration system. It helps build a more inclusive democracy, promotes civic engagement, & increases economic participation.

Proud to reintroduce this bill today on behalf of the millions of immigrants wanting to be #NewAmericans. pic.twitter.com/LbpCXV9ai6
— Grace Meng (@RepGraceMeng) March 21, 2023

The bill would lay the grounds for the establishment of a National Office of New Americans to promote the integration and inclusion of immigrants and refugees, the statement says.

It also aims to reduce the number of barriers that stand in the way of naturalization by amending the English and civics exam for older applicants.

High school graduates will likewise be exempt from taking the exams, the statement adds.

The bill will also raise the US refugee admissions cap to 125,000 per fiscal year

It will automatically grant the status of eligible voters for newly naturalized citizens, lower the petition age for family integration to 18 years old, and establish a grants program to provide legal services specialized in dealing with immigration issues.

The bill is backed by several groups which include the National Partnership for New Americans, Immigrant Legal Resource Center, and Refugee Congress, the statement said.

A future where all #immigrants and #refugees feel included in the U.S. is possible! The #NewDealforNewAmericans Act proposes a National Office of New Americans to coordinate diversity efforts at all levels of government so no one gets left behind by bureaucracy. pic.twitter.com/9Tinymfowf
— NPNA (@npnewamericans) March 21, 2023

Over the past year, Democrats have been dealing with increased pressure from Republicans due to the Biden administration's overly lax policy towards migrants.

In April 2022, Texas Governor Greg Abbott launched a program that is part of the governor’s Operation Lone Star initiative, intended to slow the number of migrants crossing the border.

Since then, thousands of undocumented migrants from Texas and Arizona have been relocated by bus for free to cities such as New York, Washington, and Chicago.

A report published by NBC News on February 2 revealed that an estimated 600,000 migrants who entered the US since March 2021 may be facing serious legal problems as the Biden administration released them without providing them with any charging documents or issuing dates to appear before the court.

"Nearly 600,000 migrants who crossed the US border since March 2021 have been released into the United State without being charged or given a date to appear in court, thousands have even been dropped from the program that was supposed to track them," the report said.

According to the report, the Biden administration had annulled a policy on March 2021 that required migrants to be provided charging documents with a court date by Customs and Border Protection shortly after they were apprehended.

Due to this, several migrants are now scattered across the US without a court date to determine whether or not they can legally remain in the country.

While the one-year eligibility deadline to apply for asylum for some is nearing expiry, many remain confused as to how to proceed with the next steps.

More than 800,000 migrants were released on Notices to Report or Parole Plus ATD between late March 2021 and late January 2023. Likewise, about 214,000 were issued charging documents with court dates, the report states.