Catholic advocates begin analysis of proposed immigration bill

SALT LAKE CITY — A little more than a day after the release of an 844-page Senate bill that would overhaul national immigration policy, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Justice for Immigrants Campaign held a conference call about provisions in the bill that will be of most concern to Catholic activists.

Because of the bill’s length, “we are actually still engaging in an analysis of the bill to get a sense of all ... of the concerns that we have,” said Michael E. Hill, associate director for USCCB government relations.

In a preliminary analysis, significant components include those related to legalization of people who are in the United States without legal status and changes to family-based immigration, as well as provisions dealing with refugees, asylum-seekers, stateless people, those in detention and unaccompanied alien children, Hall said.

The bill creates three separate categories for legalization: one for those who have been in the country without documentation since before Jan. 1, 2012; a second for those who meet the qualifications of the DREAM Act, which in general are those who came to the U.S. before they were 16 and have received a high school diploma or GED and have no significant criminal record; and a third for seasonal agricultural workers.

Before those in the first category could apply for citizenship, the Secretary for Homeland Security would have to agree that proposed measures for border security were mostly implemented, the proposed border fencing strategy substantially completed, mandatory eVerify was implemented, and an electronic exit system at air and sea ports was in use, said Ashley Feasley, policy advisor at USCCB Office of Migration Policy and Public Affairs.

 “These four factors are pretty high bars,” she added.

A significant proposed change in the area of family-based immigration is that the bill provides for “anyone who is currently in line waiting for a family preference visa ... would be able to come into the United States over an eight to 10-year period,” Hall said. Under the current system, such waits can extend up to 30 years, he said.

The bill also includes a provision that would repeal the one-year filing deadline for those applying for asylum. Another provision would allow for certain groups of people, such as those who have been in a refugee camp for many years, to be eligible for a relaxed adjudicatory standard, Hall said.

“That’s a very important provision that the USCCB helped initiate several years ago and that we’ve been trying to get into law for years,” he said.

In addition, the bill would grant an increase in discretionary authority for immigration judges in certain situations, such as those in which the removal of an undocumented person would create undue hardship to a family member in the U.S., Feasley said.

USCCB officials will continue to examine all the bill’s provisions, including those concerning border security and interior enforcement, Hall said, to see if there are concerns related to Catholic social teaching.

Many of those participating in the JFI conference call have been advocating for immigration reform for years. Among their advocacy efforts is a postcard to legislators, urging compassionate immigration reform. That postcard is available at http://www.justiceforimmigrants.org/index.shtml.

Tony Cube, national field manager for the Justice for Immigrants Campaign, asked the advocates to continue their efforts to urge legislators to pass such reform.  The bill’s first hearing is expected to take place Friday, April 19, and a second hearing on April 22. Hall said the hope is that the bill will pass through the Senate before the recess at the end of June.