Cortez Masto Proposes Commonsense Immigration Reform, Pathway to Citizenship for Immigrant Families

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) re-introduced the Fairness for Immigrant Families Act, a set of commonsense proposals aimed at fixing America's broken immigration system and setting up a pathway to citizenship for immigrants who have spent decades living in and contributing to this country. This legislation addresses the outdated laws complicating our immigration system, cracks down on notario fraud, and sets up guardrails against detention and deportation for immigrants who deserve stability, like DACA recipients and parents of U.S. citizens.

"Hardworking, law-abiding immigrant families across the U.S. are looking to Congress to finally address immigration reform," said Senator Cortez Masto. "While our immigration system has long been broken, I believe it can be fixed. That's why I'm putting forth pragmatic, commonsense proposals to bring people out of the shadows in the country where they've built their lives and provide them true access to the American Dream."

To support immigrant communities in Nevada and across the country, this legislation would:

• Make it easier for long-term immigrants with no criminal record to become lawful permanent residents;
• Criminalize schemes to provide fraudulent immigration services
• Require high-level approval before any parent of a U.S. citizen child is deported and direct the State Department to create an office dedicated to assisting U.S. citizen children who have left the country to stay with a deported parent;
• Prohibit deporting DACA recipients and certain immigrants with pending applications;
• Establish grant programs so states have resources to crack down on notario fraud;
• Require DHS to report detailed financial data, including how they are collecting and spending immigration fees, as well as up-to-date information on adjudication backlogs and delays; and
• Protect immigrants who are victims of or witnesses to crimes or are defending civil and labor rights from enforcement actions.

Read the full bill here and a summary here. The Fairness for Immigrant Families Act is endorsed by UnidosUS, Voto Latino, Third Way, American Immigration Lawyers Association, American Civil Liberties Union, United We Dream Action, FWD.us, Democracy Power Project, America's Voice, Refugees International, Nevada Immigrant Coalition, AILA Nevada, and Latin Chamber of Commerce of Las Vegas.

The first and only Latina Senator, Cortez Masto has consistently supported immigrant communities in Nevada. She has called on both the Biden Administration and Trump Administration to protect Dreamers, TPS holders and other immigrants. Cortez Masto has worked to pass meaningful immigration reform that balances critical border security measures with a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers. Earlier this month, the Senator attended and spoke at a naturalization ceremony for new American citizens at the Sand Harbor Amphitheater at Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

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