Immigration

As a member of the Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security, Congressman Garcia is committed to working with his colleagues on a bipartisan basis to pass comprehensive immigration reform that reaffirms our values, advances our ideals, and honors our history as a nation of immigrants. There is no doubt that our immigration system is broken. In order to move our country forward, we must provide a pathway to citizenship for approximately 11 million undocumented immigrants that are American in every way except on paper.

It is for this reason that Congressman Garcia introduced H.R. 15, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act, which secures our borders, builds our economy, and provides a way forward for the millions of undocumented individuals living in the United States.  This bill is supported by over 190 bipartisan Members of Congress. It is the only bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform bill that has been introduced in the House of Representatives in the 113th Congress.  Disappointed by the lack of action by House leadership on immigration reform, Congressman Garcia also began a discharge petition, which also has nearly 200 signatures, to bring H.R. 15 to a vote.

Congressman Garcia has also been particularly concerned by the impact the difficult situation in Venezuela has placed on the thousands of Venezuelans who now call South Florida home.  It is for this reason that he introduced the Venezuela Liberty Act (VZLA) which directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to adjust permanent resident status to any Venezuelan who has been in the country for a continuous period of time starting after February 2, 1990 - the time when many fled as a result of the Chavez regime in Venezuela in search of freedom and opportunity in the United States.