Reuniting Families Act H.R. 2709

[PD is Current. 50]

Mike Honda recently RE-introduce the Reuniting Families Act H.R. 2709 that would make spouse and family of LPR become immediate relative.

I say, it's about time!!!! The family-based immigration system for LPR is not only broken, outdated but inhumane. How do you expect overseas spouse to wait 4-5 years from aboard and not even allowing them to visit? Travel visa application (B2) for spouse with pending I130 is nearly impossible to get!

U.S. citizen's spouse doesn't have to wait for visa numbers. Even F1 or H1 visa holder can sponsor their spouse to come stay in the United States. Why can't LPR do the same? We're paying taxes just like USC! :protest:

I wholeheartedly support this Act, what I want to know is will this act be legalized? And more importantly, when will it make an impact for those F2A cases that are currently pending?

[uwmouse 0]

Rep. Honda has proposed this bill before. The sad thing about the F2A part is it's always part of a big bill with lots of controversial components. Nobody wants to propose a bill just for F2A filers 'coz it's a small group of people. Personally I remain hopeful this bill will get some attention from the legislators but I don't think it will get passed soon.

In the mean time, let's keep writing to our local senators, house representatives and other government officials. My husband and I have been writing/faxing to all the related people again and again. I can provide a good template if you need one. Just tell them your story, tell them how this inhumane policy devastates your family. We don't know if it's gonna help, but if we do nothing, things will continue the same sad way. The illegal immigrants lobby heavily on the capitol hill, why can't/shouldn't we?!

Edited May 13, 2011 by uwmouse

[PD is Current. 50]

I do share the same view. It's a pretty big bill.

I hope it's not just a political campaign for Mike Honda to get more votes and visibility!

Maybe you can share the letter templates and contact info here so people can write to their local senators, house representatives and other government officials?

What can we do as a community to help this bill get passed???

[Kathryn41 3,205]

It is a violation of TOS to make personal attacks and insult other VJ members. Posts violating this TOS have been removed along with a baiting post that started the bickering.

If you have nothing constructive to add then do not participate in this thread. If you cannot post your concerns in a respectful way, then do not post.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

No offense, but this bill is insane. It more than doubles the annual cap for family preference visas, adds to this any unused visa numbers going back to 1992, and removes the F2A category from the family preference group and makes them "immediate relative" visas with no annual cap. That alone will cause a massive increase in the number of immigrants coming to the US. It won't get any traction in this political climate. Most Americans want to see immigration more tightly controlled, and existing laws enforced. They don't want to see the flood gates opened.

But there's more...

This bill also effectively makes same sex partners "immediate relatives" for the purpose of immigration. They call them "permanent partners". There's no chance this bill will make it out of the House of Representatives with this provision.