Reunited Families Act Reintroduced

For many people, being with their family and loved ones is an important part of life. There are many factors that could keep loved ones apart, and sometimes those factors involve immigration matters. Recently, a bill that could impact who is considered an immediate family member for purposes of family immigration was reintroduced. The bill was previously introduced in 2013.

Readers may be aware that under current U.S. immigration laws, individuals who are considered immediate family members include the following relatives of U.S. citizens:

• Spouses
• Unmarried children younger than 21 years old
• Parents who are older than 20 years old

The bill, which is supported by organizations including the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services, Immigration Quality, Asians Advancing Justice, and the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans, seeks to do several things.

First, it seeks to classify minor children as immediate relatives. This is also the case where spouses of green card holders are concerned. In addition, it provides protections to same-sex couples, ensuring that they are treated the same as opposite-sex couples. It also increases the visa allocations available to siblings. The outcome of these changes would be that those who qualify as immediate family would be placed into a queue in which they would receive a visa.

Called the Reunited Families Act, if passed, potentially many people could benefit, including Asian-American citizens and same-sex couples.

While it is unclear what exactly will happen with the bill, it is expected to face stiff opposition from lawmakers. Readers are likely aware of the efforts of some of those individuals to increase restrictions on U.S. immigration. We will provide updates as they become available.