U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., reintroduced legislation that could open up a pathway to permanent residency for millions of undocumented immigrants amid ongoing immigration raids by the federal government.
Padilla’s legislation, Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929, would update decades-old requirements to allow individuals who are not residents to qualify for permanent residency through a registry if they have lived in the country continuously for at least seven years.
Individuals would also have to meet other existing eligibility requirements.
With the registry provision under current law, individuals who entered the country prior to Jan. 1, 1972, are eligible to pursue residency through the process.
Padilla said the legislation to update the cut-off date was meant to make it an easy change for lawmakers.
“No new office, no new bureaucracy. Just a simple date change to existing law to better reflect today’s reality,” Padilla said.
The last time the cut-off date was updated was in 1986 under then-President Ronald Reagan.
Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-San Jose, also introduced legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“We need to control our borders, but we also need a straightforward reform solution for those who have resided peacefully for a long time in America,” Lofgren said in a statement. “Providing stability to our communities and our workforces — versus terrorizing them — will make our country stronger.”
Padilla said his legislation, which was previously introduced before dying last year, was a “common sense fix” to the current immigration system but acknowledged the obstacles it would face.
“I’m not naive to the fact that it’s Trump in the White House and Republican majorities in both chambers of Congress, but we do think this is the time,” Padilla said.