This week White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer said in response to a question from the press that President Bush remains in strong support of an extension of Section 245(i), which allows many people who entered the US without authorization or have failed to maintain valid status while in the US to apply for adjustment of status without returning to their home countries, which in many cases will subject the person to a three or ten year bar on reentering the US.
Bush was strong in support of the provision before September 11th, and the provision had passed the Senate. The House was to vote on an extension on September 11th, but the vote did not occur because Congress was evacuated following the terrorist attacks.
According to Fleischer, Bush “thinks that’s an important immigration initiative to help give people opportunities to come to the United States where willing employers want and have positions for immigrants,” and wants for the new Congress to address the issue. It remains to be seen whether security concerns will continue to trump calls for a Section 245(i) extension.
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