By JOSEPH PIMENTEL, Asian Journal
LOS ANGELES ― As news that a bipartisan group of senators are close to finishing a comprehensive immigration reform bill, some immigrant groups are worried about one aspect of the possible legislation that could have a tremendous impact in the Asian American and immigrant community.
According to several reports, one of the tradeoffs being considered in the “Gang of 8’s” comprehensive immigration reform bill would be placing tighter limits on the number of family-based visas and increasing the number of visas available for highly skilled foreign workers.
The Asian Pacific American Legal Center has issued a statement urging those senators not to limit the number of family based petitions as it would severely impact Asian American families from reuniting with their loved ones.
“An integral part of our humanity is the understanding that children ― at any age ― are our family. That brothers and sisters are our family,” said Stewart Kwoh, APALC executive director.
“To contend otherwise goes against our longstanding American tradition of valuing, respecting, and honoring brothers, sisters and children as beloved close family members. Families must not be manipulated and used as a bargaining chip in a misleading and misguided attempt to characterize immigration as a zero-sum game,” Kwoh added.
The Washington Post quoting Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.), a senate leader working on the bill, says no final decision has been made. However, there’s a strong possibility that limiting the number of family-based visas may be added to the legislation.
“Right now you get green cards to adult children, to grandparents,” Graham told the newspaper. “What I want to do is reserve green cards based on the economic needs of the country, and we’ll do something for families. But the goal for me is to replace a chained migration immigration system with an economic-based immigration system.”
According to the Migration Policy Institute, nearly three quarters of all legal immigrants are admitted through family-based petitions.
About 15 percent come through employment-based petitions, while the others are admitted for humanitarian reasons.
For Filipinos, who already have one of the longest waits to enter the U.S. under the current system, placing a cap or even limiting the number of family based petitions would push them back further ― possibly even remove them entirely.
According to data from the Office of Immigration Statistics (OIS), Filipinos are the second-largest immigrant group of lawful permanent residents.
A study done in 2008 reveals that nearly half of all Filipino permanent residents in the U.S. benefited through family-based sponsorship.
Other immigrant groups also were quick to criticize Graham and the possibility of tighter restrictions on family based petitions.
“…the positions they’re taking on immigration is a quick ticket to nowhere. Just as immigration reform must include a pathway to citizenship, it must help keep families together and fix a broken system responsible for keeping families apart for years or decades,” wrote Van Le On of America’s Voice.
“Instead of trying to pit immigrants against each other, high-skilled against low-skilled, family-based versus economic-based, legislators should realize that immigrants contribute to our nation by strengthening our economy and strengthening our families. And they can do both at the same time,” the author added.
