The Senate parliamentarian will soon decide whether Democrats can include immigration reforms in their $3.5 trillion social spending plan, according to Politico and sources close to the matter.
Pathways to Citizenship
Democrats want to provide a pathway to citizenship for DACA recipients, Temporary Protected Status beneficiaries, agricultural workers, and those designated as essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of moving this immigration reform through Congress, however, Democrats have included it in their partisan budget for social spending.
To get the reform through to the “reconciliation process,” Democrats must defend their plan to the Senate parliamentarian and prove that the proposal satisfies Senate budget requirements. This could allow them to pass legislation without Republican support and bypass a filibuster in the Senate.
Will the Parliamentarian Decide in Dem’s Favor?
Nevertheless, the parliamentarian has ruled against Democrats before. While advocates see the reconciliation process as the best opportunity to enact immigration reform, the parliamentarian previously rejected Democrats’ proposal to raise the minimum wage to $15 as part of their $1.9 trillion pandemic relief bill.
Still, the parliamentarian is a former immigration lawyer, and Democrats say that immigration reform has been included in a reconciliation package before. In 2005, Republican legislation included a provision for immigrant visas, though the issue was never clarified.
Lawmakers on both sides of the party divide agree that the Senate parliamentary hearing is a momentous occasion for the United States.
Stay Up to Date with Immigration Reform
Our team at Law Office of Kelli Y. Allen, PLLC looks forward to hearing the results of the hearing. We will continue to track immigration reform on our blog, and we remain available to help you with all your immigration concerns.
For comprehensive, solution-focused, and individualized representation, please call us at (704) 870-0340 or contact us online.