Summary
Sen. Alex Padilla from California is introducing a bill to change old immigration rules. The bill would allow some immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for at least seven years to apply for permanent residency. This comes during a time when immigration enforcement actions are increasing.
Key Facts
- Sen. Padilla's bill aims to update immigration laws that have been in place since 1929.
- The bill proposes a new rule allowing immigrants to apply for a green card if they have been in the U.S. continuously for seven years.
- The current rule requires immigrants to have been in the U.S. since before January 1, 1972.
- This change would benefit DACA recipients and those with Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
- The proposal appears during increased immigration enforcement and the expiration of some TPS agreements.
- About 11 million undocumented immigrants currently live in the U.S.
- Republicans control Congress, which means immigration proposals face challenges in getting passed.
- A separate bill, the DIGNITY Act of 2025, addresses border security and immigration reforms but is stalled in the House.
