According to the National Law Review, the House of Representatives has not and probably will not consider the Comprehensive Immigration Bill passed by the Senate earlier this year. HRI supports the Senate bill, which increases protections offered to vulnerable asylum-seekers, immigrant children, and victims of violent crime. HRI favors comprehensive reform over a piecemeal approach. This article summarizes several bills that may come up for a vote in the House this fall.
None of the proposed House bills directly impact HRI’s client base, except for the SAFE Act, which grants state and localities the authority to enforce federal immigration laws, something that has been repeatedly found unconstitutional. HRI opposes this bill, primarily because immigrant victims of crimes need to feel comfortable working with local law enforcement to solve and prevent crimes, instead of worrying that the police will ask about their immigration status.
Right now members of the House are in their districts on August recess. Please take this time to contact your representative directly and encourage him/her to support comprehensive immigration reform and allow the Senate’s bill to come up for a vote in the House.
