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Bill Introduced in Congress to Aid Illegal Immigrants

By Associated Press

Washington — Illegal immigrants would become eligible for green cards under legislation introduced in Congress on Feb. 7. The legislation was introduced by U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Illinois. It would make any illegal immigrant eligible for a green card if they could prove they had resided in the United States for five years since October 1996, according to Santa Clara County Director of Citizenship and Immigrant Services Richard Hobbs.

The Oct. 12, 1996 “registry date” would advance each year by a year until 2007, Hobbs said. Immigrants would also have to be of “good moral character,” generally meaning not convicted of any crime.

“It would allow a rolling registry,” Hobbs said.

Currently, illegal immigrants have to prove they have been in the country since 1972 to be eligible for a green card. That registry date has not been changed since the Reagan Administration, Hobbs said. The South Bay Labor Council is leading a grass-roots effort to pressure Congress to pass the legislation, according to council organizer Anabel Ibanez.

“We all benefit from immigrant labor. We enjoy clean hotel rooms and office buildings, clean dishes and service in restaurants, health care in nursing homes and countless products made by immigrants’ hands,” Ibanez said.