House Passes Build Back Better Plan

Build Back Better PlanThe House passed a massive spending bill this Friday which holds major promise for immigration reform. The Build Back Better Plan would be the largest mass-legalization program for undocumented immigrants in American history. About 7 million of the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the country would be eligible to apply for work permits, protecting them from deportation, allowing them to travel internationally, and granting benefits like state driver’s licenses. The bill would also recapture over 400,000 unused green cards.

Despite the successes of the Build Back Better Plan, it is a watered-down version of its previous form, and many concessions were made. It does not provide a pathway to citizenship, a promise made during the conception of this bill. More permanent protections must be high priority on the agenda in the future.