Is Immigration Reform On The Horizon? Or Right In front Of U.S.?

According to a recent New York Times article President Obama intends to address comprehensive immigration reform this summer with Congress and proponents of comprehensive immigration reform.  A recent bill named the “Family Unity Act”.  This act purports to “amend” family unity in the United States.  According to Congressman Honda, the bill is intended to “fix our broken immigration system while taking into account the current economic climate. Our family-based immigration system has not been updated in 20 years, separating spouses, children and their parents, who have played by the rules, for years, often decades. Our proposed legislation is in line with both American family values and with our short-term need to grow our economy and save taxpayer money.” 

At this time no one knows for sure exactly what comprehensive immigration reform would entail, but it has been hinted at by the Obama administration that it would like to see the focus of immigration reform be founded upon granting some type of status to the millions of aliens in the United States without status.  It is almost certain that immigration law reform proponents will seek some type of temporary guest worker visa/status for those here without status.  Questions remain whether the Obama administration will push for additional foreign workers to be added, but there’s some evidence that the cap for H-1B visas will be expanded.  Also, there is some scuttlebutt that the current backlog for employment based visas will be addressed. 

Whatever happens, immigration reform may be the only hope for the millions of aliens currently in the United States without status, especially in light of recent reports that Immigration and Customs Enforcement is stepping up efforts to increase its deportation numbers.  It is sure to shape up as an interesting summer for immigration law.