Immigration
We are a nation of immigrants, welcoming to people of all faiths and backgrounds. Unfortunately, our current immigration system is not living up to these basic ideals.
To bring our fundamentally broken, outdated immigration system into the 21st century, we must implement comprehensive reform. We must provide a road map so that undocumented workers can earn legalized status and citizenship, reduce backlogs and allow families to be reunited, let undocumented kids brought here years ago have the same opportunities as everyone else, and let businesses, including those in the high-technology sector, attract and retain workers from abroad when domestic talent is not available. Comprehensive reform also must include improvements to secure our borders and remove from this country undocumented immigrants who have committed serious crimes after they serve their sentences.
I am confident that we can adopt reforms that would provide a way to bring undocumented workers out of the shadows, allow our economy to use the best and brightest human capital, and impose meaningful border security.
What I am Doing for You
In the 116th Congress, my colleagues and I passed H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act of 2019, of which I’m an original co-sponsor. This bill would create a legal status for people brought to the U.S. as children in an undocumented status (i.e., “Dreamers”) as well as a pathway to earn citizenship for them and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders. Certain people with criminal records (e.g., felonies) would be barred from relief. The DHS Secretary also would be able to deny Dreamer applications for legal status if they are found by clear and convincing evidence to be a significant threat to public safety or participated in a criminal gang. I voted for H.R. 6, and the House passed the bill 237-187.
I voted in favor of H.R. 2740 and H.R. 2500, which would block construction of President Trump’s southern border wall, both of which passed in the House.
I'm an original co-sponsor of H.R.2908, the Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act of 2019 , which would exempt children of certain Filipino World War II veterans from the numerical limitations on immigrant visas, and for other purposes
I’m also a co-sponsor of H.R.3799, the Reuniting Families Act, which would cut the backlog causing the separation of 4.4 million family members from U.S. citizens and green card holders.
More on Immigration
“It’s going to be okay. It’s going to be okay.”
I was a 20-year-old college junior when a seemingly fearless U.S. Sen. John McCain spoke these reassuring words after I’d waited 30 minutes in line to shake his hand. A few months earlier, I’d been on my way to work as a House intern when the World Trade Center fell, the Pentagon burned, and a plane crashed into a field in Pennsylvania.
Pleasanton's Congressman Eric Swalwell recently announced he will join the House Judiciary Committee in addition to continuing to serve on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
A deputy district attorney in Alameda County before being elected to the House of Representatives, Swalwell said he was "honored" to be selected for the Judiciary Committee, which oversees matters relating to the administration of justice in federal courts, administrative bodies and law enforcement agencies.
WASHINGTON, DC – In a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Jeh Johnson, U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell (CA-15) requested an update on DHS actions to address possible gaps in immigration enforcement demonstrated by the tragic murder of Kate Steinle in July. Kate’s family resides in Pleasanton, CA, a city located in Swalwell’s congressional district. Swalwell served on the House Homeland Security Committee in his first term in Congress.