The House of Republicans have planed to vote on an immigration legislation that will grant visas to STEM graduates and make it easier for the immediate relatives of Green Card holders to immigrate to America. The House earlier voted on a STEM bill, that would grant immigrant visas to STEM graduates and abolish the Green Card lottery program. But that bill was defeated and more than 80 percent of the Democrats voted against it. Democrats voted against the STEM bill as that bill would eliminate the DV lottery program.
United States grants 80,000 family-based permanent resident cards, every year. Reports state that there are more than 322,000 spouses and children of Green Card holders, who are waiting to immigrate to the United States. And such people are separated from their families and are required to wait for more than two years to obtain Green Cards. Republicans now want to reduce the wait times and want to expand this program so that the spouses and children of Green Card holders, may remain in the United States and get Green Cards, without leaving the country.
Their proposal would allow the immediate relatives of Green Card holders to get into the United States, within one year. However, they may not be allowed to work in America until they get their Green Cards but this proposal will prevent the families from being separated. Former Democratic congressman, Bruce Morrison, stated that this bill will not increase the number of Green Cards and it will not speed up the processing time, but it will just allow the spouses and children of Green Card holders to remain legally in the United States, even before they could get their Green cards. He also said that this bill is the path to a comprehensive immigration reform.
Spokeswoman, Megan Whittemore, said that this bill is “family friendly”, as this bill will reunite the separated families. This will help the young children and spouses of Green Card holders to stay together. This bill, if passed will grant 55,000 immigrant visas to STEM graduates and eliminate the Green Card lottery program. However, it will help the country to retain the high-skilled graduates who complete their degrees in America.