House of Representatives Delays Vote On U.S. Citizenship Act

 

The House of Representatives has delayed the vote on Biden’s U.S. Citizenship Act until April. The vote was originally scheduled for March, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi expressed concern about the shortage of necessary votes. Arizona Representative Tom O’Halleran said the bill was “just not quite ready yet” and House Judiciary Chair Jerry Nadler mentioned the need to “engage in some consultations with key members and stakeholders.”

While the vote on Biden’s main comprehensive immigration bill has been postponed, two more narrow immigration bills will still be facing the House this March. Both are standalone bills, reintroduced this past Wednesday after previously passing in the House chamber in 2019.  One is the American Dream and Promise Act. This would provide DACA recipients, those under Temporary Protected Status, and individuals with Deferred Enforced Departure protection from deportation. It would also grant them an opportunity to obtain permanent legal status in the United States. The other bill, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, would create a pathway to citizenship for undocumented agricultural workers while also reforming the current H-2A temporary agricultural work visa program. The two bills will easily pass the House, and many political observers are optimistic about the bipartisan support it has received. The U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021, on the other hand, faces a more uncertain future. Hopefully, it will garner more support in the next month. 

 

Read Our Previous Coverage of the US Citizenship Act Here: https://ellensullivanlaw.com/president-biden-sends-progressive-immigration-bill-to-congress/