Renewing Registry Bill: It’s time for full inclusion!

A very simple new bill in Congress would make a small but important update to current immigration law by creating a way for longtime community members to apply for residency and citizenship. But in order for this change to happen, we must tell Congress to act BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR!

The proposed change would update a longstanding bipartisan provision of U.S. immigration law called the ‘immigration registry date.’ For nearly a century, the immigration registry provided a process for individuals who lived in the U.S. for a significant amount of time to apply for lawful permanent status. Yet Congress has failed to update the registry date for 35 years.

Read more below about this new bill, called the Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929, that would create stability for longtime Nebraska community members, families, employers, and whole communities.

First implemented as a part of the Immigration Act of 1929, the registry provision provided the opportunity to apply for permanent residency to any noncitizen who met certain criteria, including continuously residing in the country for a significant period of time, ‘good moral character’ and not having been subject to deportation.

The registry date was regularly updated by Congress in 1940, 1958, 1965 and 1986 – but not since then. Currently, you would have to have lived in the U.S. since 1972 (50 years) to be eligible.

The Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929 (H.R.8433, S.4974) – first introduced by Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, an immigration attorney and head of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship – proposes to fix the outdated 1972 date and amend the law to read: “Are long-term residents of the United States” and “entered the United States at least 7 years before the application date.

Congress has the opportunity to create important stability for longtime community members with the renewing registry bill before the end of the year.

There are only a few weeks left on the Congressional calendar this year – contact Nebraska’s members of Congress now to say it is time for full inclusion of longtime community members like DACA, TPS, and many others, and that they should support legislation like the Renewing Immigration Registry bill and the Dream & Promise Act.

Contact your members of Congress today

It has been over 35 years since Congress has taken meaningful action for positive immigration laws. This simple update, with longstanding bipartisan support, would provide stability and full inclusion for many longtime Nebraskans!

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