House of Representatives Approves Fairness for High Skilled Immigrants Act

(Arlington, VA) – Today the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1044, the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act. This bipartisan legislation increases the per-country caps for family-sponsored green cards from 7 percent to 15 percent, and eliminates the per-country caps for employment based visas. Companion legislation has been introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senator Mike Lee (R-UT).

Daniel Garza, President of The LIBRE Initiative, released the following statement:

“In many ways, our legal immigration system is flawed. With proper reforms, it can be fairer and more transparent, and do more to benefit the U.S. economy and make our communities stronger. The bipartisan reform passed by the House today is a step in that direction. According to recent estimates, both family members and workers from various countries could be expected to wait decades, with some potentially even facing a century’s worth of waiting, to obtain a green card, while others face no wait at all. This legislation will begin to reduce this disparity by making our legal immigration system fairer to all who wish to come and contribute to society, regardless of their country of origin. This now sets the stage for Senators and Members of Congress to begin to tackle more significant reforms. We stand ready to work with anyone who is committed to that effort.”

For interviews with a representative from The LIBRE Initiative, please contact Brian Faughnan, 202-805-1581 or Wadi Gaitan, 202-853-4433

###