Immigration

Congresswoman Richardson believes that our immigration system is broken and she is committed to comprehensive immigration reform to secure our borders, keep our nation safe, uphold the rule of the law, protect our workers, our economy, unite families, and provide a pathway to legalization.

DREAM Act

Congresswoman Richardson supported H.R. 1842,The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, which was introduced in 2009 yet failed in the Senate. The DREAM Act would have created a path to legal residency and eventually citizenship for undocumented immigrants who go to college or serve in the military. It would have:

• Applied only to undocumented immigrants under age 30 at the enactment of the law who have shown good moral character since entry and who came to the United States at age 15 or younger, at least five years before the date of the bill's enactment;
• Allowed such individuals to apply for conditional non-immigrant status within one year of their acceptance to college, graduation from a U.S. high school or being awarded a G.E.D in the U.S. Approximately, 65,000 undocumented students per year graduate from American high schools.
• Provided that individuals who, after 10 years as a conditional immigrant, had completed two years of college or military service, and fulfilled other requirements, would have been eligible to become a legal permanent resident. After three years as a legal permanent resident, such individuals would have been eligible for U.S. citizenship.

The DREAM Act was re-introduced in the 112th Congress (2011-2012) in May 2011.

Uniting American Families Act of 2009

Congresswoman Richardson was a cosponsor of H.R. 1024, Uniting American Families Act of 2009, which would have changed the law so that same sex permanent partners are treated like married spouses for the purposes of immigration.

Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America's Security and Prosperity Act

Congresswoman Richardson was an original cosponsor of H.R. 4321, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America's Security and Prosperity (CIR ASAP) Act of 2009, which was introduced on December 15, 2009 and addresses many of the problems with our system of immigration by:

• Funding additional resources and training for U.S. Customs and Border Patrol
• Helping state and local law enforcement combat crime and drug trafficking
• Making our VISA program more efficient
• Setting up a comprehensive and accurate worker verification system
• Giving undocumented workers an opportunity to earn citizenship

Together, these provisions will stregthen our national security, make hiring more fair for the entire American workforce, treat immigrant workers with respect, and create up to $1.5 trillion in economic growth over the next ten years.