LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Although it seems Congress’s only immigration concerns are those related to Elian Gonzalez, there were two bills introduced this week that deal with other aspects of immigration.

H.R. 3527, introduced by Rep. Carrie Meek (D-FL) and co-sponsored by Reps. Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Alcee Hastings (D-FL) and Peter Deutsch (D-FL), would extend the deadline for applications under the Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act of 1998 and the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act.  The deadline is currently April 1, 2000.  If approved, this bill would extend the application deadline to October 1, 2001, or one year after the bill’s implementing regulations are finalized, whichever is later.  This bill would provide an opportunity for many more people to register for benefits for which they are eligible, but which require extensive documentation that is often difficult to obtain.

S. 2025, the Hmong Veterans’ Naturalization Act of 2000, introduced by Sen. Rod Grams (R-MN), would make it easier for people who fought in Laos during the Vietnam War to obtain citizenship.  To be eligible under the proposal, the applicant must have been admitted to the US as a refugee and have served in guerrilla or other irregular forces between 1961 and 1978 in Laos in support of the US war effort.  The bill would create less stringent English language requirements, and would also allow for special consideration to be given concerning the civics requirements for naturalization.