US Citizenship Act: Read It For Yourself

The promised Democratic immigration legislation has been revealed. Read the US Citizenship Act for yourself, or since its 353-pages use the search feature.

After weeks of deliberations, congressional Democrats and the White House on Thursday unveiled an immigration overhaul bill that would reshape U.S. immigration laws and allow millions of immigrants living in the country without authorization to obtain legal status.

The 353-page U.S. Citizenship Act would create a two-tier legalization program which would automatically make farmworkers, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders and undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children eligible for green cards, according to a 66-page summary of the legislation. After three years, they could apply to become U.S. citizens.

All other eligible unauthorized immigrants would be able to request temporary deportation relief and work permits while being placed on an eight-year pathway towards U.S. citizenship. Petitioners would all need to undergo background and national security checks, as well as file taxes and pay application fees.

The plan would not benefit new arrivals, as all prospective applicants would need to prove they were in the U.S. before January 1, 2021. The secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would be allowed to issue humanitarian waivers to this requirement for immigrants deported during the Trump administration as long as they prove they lived in the U.S. for at least three years before their deportation.

California Congresswoman Linda Sánchez and New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez, two Democrats with past experience crafting immigration policy, will introduce the proposal in the House and Senate, respectively.

Read the full US Citizenship Act bill here:
US Citizenship Act Bill Text - SIGNED