As President Joe Biden begins his first day in office, a group of House Democrats announced that they will lead the effort to pass Biden’s immigration bill on Capitol Hill.
In a narrowly-held Senate, the climb on immigration is steep especially given how far to the right Republicans have moved in the issue since the 2013 bipartisan bill. Still, this is yet another sign of the coordinated approach the Biden administration is taking with Democratic allies on the hill to push their agenda forward.
Reps. Joaquin Castro, Raul Ruiz, and Linda Sánchez spoke with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Tuesday about the legislation, according to a source familiar with the meeting.
Biden’s bill, titled US Citizenship Act of 2021, addresses the millions of undocumented immigrants living in the US, boosts border technology, and targets the root causes of migration, according to incoming White House officials.
More details: The bill provides an immediate pathway to citizenship for farmworkers, recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, and Temporary Protected Status holders. It also sketches out a plan for undocumented immigrants that would allow them to eventually apply for green cards if they pass background checks and pay taxes.