Representative Judy Chu Tackles Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill

Pasadena-area Congresswoman Judy Chu, an original co-sponsor of the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act or H.R. 15, discussed the bill she says could benefit millions of immigrants in the country at a Sunday press conference.

H.R. 15 aims to strengthen the security against illegal border crossing, create program that will allow undocumented immigrants to apply for citizenship in 13 years and increase fines and penalties for employers who will hire illegal immigrants.

“The American people have waited long enough for Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform. That’s why I helped introduce H.R. 15 in the House last week,” Chu said. “It will create an immigration system that is in line with our times – one that clears our backlogs, provides a pathway to earned citizenship, streamlines entry for bright minds coming here to create jobs, and creates a rightful place in our society for DREAM students who have never known another country as home.”

DREAMers are undocumented young people brought to the U.S., which the bill aims to undergo faster and easier process in achieving citizenship.

Chu (CA-27), as well as Representatives Joe Garcia (FL-26), Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Jared Polis (CO-02) and Steven Horsford (NV-04), introduced the House version of the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act last week.

The Act includes the Senate immigration bill as it was passed out of the Judiciary Committee, six Senate floor amendments that were accepted to the bill, and the McCaul-Thompson Border Security Results Act, which passed out of the House Homeland Security Committee unanimously.

“While this bill isn’t perfect, it is a strong compromise. The Senate bill it is based on included many provisions I called for. As Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, I made clear that our immigration backlogs must be addressed, and this bill does,” Chu said.

“We called for a legal permanent resident provision, allowing the family members of green card holders to come here without delay, and this bill provides one,” she added.

A study by the Pew Research Center released last month showed that the number of illegal immigrants in the country rose to 11.7 million as of March 2012 from the 11.5 million undocumented immigrants reported in 2011.

Chu urged her fellow congressmen to pass the bill, which would also erase the current backlog of family and employment-based visa applicants in the next 7 years to ensure that “no undocumented immigrant obtains permanent resident status before others in line.”

“Now is the time to pass comprehensive immigration reform, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in making this a reality for the American people,” Chu said.

For a concise document of information on the H.R. 15, visit http://chu.house.gov/sites/chu.house.gov/files/documents/House%20Immigration%20Bill%20Summary%20One%20Pager%2010-02-13.pdf.