August 5, 2011

Congressional Immigration Highlights

On August 1, 2011, the House of Representatives passed a bill (H.R. 398) allowing a toll of immigrant petitions for active-duty petitioners or beneficiaries, thus allowing time to file for removal of conditions on residence and/or to appear for an interview. The House also passed a bill (H.R. 1933) modifying the requirements for H-1C nurses, a visa category that expired on December 20, 2009.

More than 100 immigration-related bills are currently pending in Congress. The Accountability Through Electronic Verification Act (S.1196), which would expand the use of E-Verify, was introduced on June 14, 2011 and is currently in committee. The DREAM Act of 2011 (S. 952; H. 1842) authorizes the adjustment of status for certain foreign nationals who entered the U.S. as children. Both the House and Senate versions are currently in committee.