Democrats push to include immigration increases in defense bill

Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives have sponsored several immigration-related amendments to the FY23 defense authorization bill, which they see as one of the last opportunities to pass new immigration policies before the highly anticipated midterm elections.

The defense authorization bill is considered a crucial piece of legislation; however, with two recesses before the election season, House Dems. have just a few more weeks to pass any of their policy priorities.

Roll Call reports:

“The House plans to take up the bill next week, and amendments made ‘in order’ by the House Rules Committee will be voted on by the full House.”

Rep. Deborah K. Ross, D-N.C., introduced an amendment that would protect “documented Dreamers,” or children who grew up in the U.S. as dependents on their parents’ employment visas but risk deportation when they turn 21 and are no longer dependents.

Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., chairwoman of the House Judiciary Immigration and Citizenship Subcommittee, sponsored an amendment that would exempt certain advanced STEM degree holders in national security-related fields from numerical visa limitations. That would allow high-skilled immigrants to more quickly and easily attain lawful permanent residency in the U.S.

Other amendments to the defense measure, known as the NDAA, include one that would direct the State Department to surge capacity for processing Afghan special immigrant visa applications and another that would put in place Defense Department reporting requirements on noncitizen servicemembers.

Beyond the NDAA, Congress is still working on sweeping legislation that they say will help the U.S. compete economically with China – however, Republican conferees have so far resisted the inclusion of immigration provisions into the bill.

You can read more about the story at Roll Call.