House passes most comprehensive immigration reform since Reagan's 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act

The House passed a $2 trillion spending bill aimed at overhauling the nation’s healthcare, climate change, education and tax laws on Friday morning.

But, written into the bill is the most extensive immigration reform package reviewed by Congress since Republican President Ronald Reagan signed the Immigration Reform and Control Act in 1986, providing nearly 3 million immigrants a pathway towards U.S. citizenship.

If passed by the Senate, the bill would effectively create the largest legalization program for undocumented immigrants in U.S. history, the Washington Post reported.

Although Democrats gave up on legislation that would include a path to citizenship last year when more than 1.7 million undocumented individuals crossed through the nation’s southern border, reconciliation appears to offer a way forward.

According to The Hill, if the Senate were to approve the bill, undocumented migrants who have been present in the United States since before 2011 could apply for up to 10 years of work authorization.

According to an analysis by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), that could directly benefit nearly 6.5 million individuals – including 3 million who could be propelled onto a path towards permanent residency, a necessary first step towards citizenship.

“CHC remains focused on passing immigration reform. The Build Back Better Act includes long-term work permits and protections for seven million hardworking immigrant essential workers that will help prevent family separation, stabilize our workforce, boost our economy, and create jobs," said Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chair Raúl Ruiz (D-Calif.).

But while the bill offers many beneficial provisions that stand to directly benefit undocumented migrants, many Democrats still lament the fact that citizenship is not on the table.

According to Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas), while the bill is ultimately “inadequate,” it must be passed.

“That would provide the ability for so many of these incredible people to be able to get to work every day without fear of retaliation, and to be able to live without fear of deportation,” she noted.

Other Latino lawmakers – including House Democrats, Reps. Jesús García (Ill.), Adriano Espaillat (N.Y.) and Lou Correa (Calif.) – also went to bat for the bill, at times threatening to withhold their votes for the final bill unless immigration provisions were included.

“This is a good first step forward that allows our constituents to breathe. This historic legislation includes work authorizations and protection from deportation for more than 7 million individuals," the three Democrats wrote in a joint press release.

The House-passed bill will now move to the Senate, where Democrats will use reconciliation rules in an effort to avoid a Republican filibuster and pass the legislation with only Democratic support.

Sen. Bob Menéndez celebrated the passing of the bill, claiming "it provides long-overdue legal protections for millions of undocumented immigrants that kept the country afloat during the pandemic."

"Now, the Senate will continue to fight for the broadest immigration relief possible. We cannot fully build back better without protecting the dignity of millions of people who are critical to our long-term economic recovery. This is their home, and it is time for the Senate to help them fulfill their American dream," the Senator added.