Democrats expected to release immigration reform bill this week


The Biden administration and Democratic lawmakers are expected to release an immigration reform bill later this week, several people with knowledge of the matter told NBC News.
On his first day in office, President Biden shared his immigration priorities, and the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 proposal will include a pathway to citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants and the expansion of the refugee resettlement program, NBC News reports. It will also call for the deployment of more technology to secure the southern border.
If the proposal is too big for some lawmakers, the Biden White House is fine with breaking the legislation into pieces, NBC News reports, with lawmakers first passing bills to immediately legalize DREAMers and migrant farmworkers before moving on to other priorities.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) is spearheading the immigration legislative effort in the Senate, and in a statement he said the "plan is not only about fixing our broken immigration system, but building a better one that reunites families, brings the undocumented community out of the shadows and on a path to citizenship, stands up for human rights, addresses root causes of migration, and includes a smart border security strategy."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Ghislaine Maxwell: angling for a Trump pardon
Talking Point Convicted sex trafficker's testimony could shed new light on president's links to Jeffrey Epstein
-
Tommy Robinson: a timeline of legal troubles
The Explainer Police are seeking to speak to far-right activist after a man was assaulted at St Pancras train station
-
Tuvalu is being lost to climate change. Other countries will likely follow.
Under the radar Sea level rise is putting islands underwater
-
Thailand, Cambodia agree to ceasefire in border fight
Speed Read At least 38 people were killed and more than 300,000 displaced in the recent violence
-
Israel 'pauses' Gaza military activity as aid outcry grows
Speed Read The World Health Organization said malnutrition has reached 'alarming levels' in Gaza
-
US and EU reach trade deal
Speed Read Trump's meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen resulted in a tariff agreement that will avert a transatlantic trade war
-
At least 12 dead in Thai-Cambodian clashes
Speed Read Both countries accused the other of firing first
-
US and Japan strike trade deal
Speed Read Trump signed what he's calling the 'largest deal ever made'
-
Russia's 'shared values' visa
The Explainer The 'anti-woke' scheme is aimed at foreigners who reject LGBTQ+ rights and 'non-traditional' values – and who can provide Moscow with online clout and skilled workers
-
28 nations condemn Israel's 'inhumane killing' in Gaza
Speed Read Countries including Australia, France, Japan and the U.K. have released a joint statement condemning Israel's ongoing attacks
-
Israeli gunfire kills dozens at Gaza aid site
Speed Read The U.N. estimates that at least 875 Palestinians have died while trying to access food in recent months