Senator Alex Padilla Pushes Path to Residency for 8 Million

Alex Padilla, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, has reintroduced the Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929. The bill seeks to create a pathway to lawful permanent residency for more than 8 million long-term immigrants, including Dreamers, Temporary Protected Status holders, essential workers, and highly skilled H-1B visa holders.

The legislation proposes modernizing the Registry provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act. It would replace the current fixed eligibility cutoff of January 1, 1972, with a rolling seven-year continuous residency requirement. To qualify, applicants must meet existing green card requirements and maintain a clean criminal record. The measure specifically aims to assist Indian nationals who face employment-based backlogs of 15 years or more due to per-country caps.

Padilla framed the initiative as a response to the Donald Trump administration's immigration enforcement and "campaign of fear." The bill is co-led by Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin, with Representative Zoe Lofgren leading companion legislation in the House. While the proposal has been endorsed by more than 30 advocacy groups and labor unions, including the AFL-CIO and the National Immigration Law Center, it faces an uncertain future in Congress due to partisan divisions.