Senator Response on Immigration Reform

[UK-USA-K1 128]

I wasn't sure where to put this so I thought the general forum would be ok for now, and if the moderators feel it's best in a different forum, they may feel free to put it wherever fits best.

about a month ago, I decided to write both of my Senators to start getting in their heads the fact that we need to really get this family based visa issue fixed. With the new immigration reform bill they want to give a path to citizenship for those who are here illegally, whether they came that way or just overstayed a legal visit. When they do this, there is bound to be more points where USCIS gets behind in all other types of applications, so I wrote them in hopes they could help push through something in the bill to help out those who want to be with their loved ones.

The first senator sent back a standard canned response the next day. The other senator didn't send back anything. I just figured he had written me off. Then this morning I'd received an email from him that I will quote here:

Thank you for contacting me about reforming family visas in immigration reformlegislation. I am sorry for the delay in my response.

I support comprehensive immigration reform, and I share your concern with long visa wait times for families. We need to work to keep families together.

As you may know, S.744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act, is currently before the Senate Judiciary Committee, where members of that Committee will have an opportunity to offer amendments to this legislation before the bill moves before the full Senate for a vote. As currently drafted, the bill would provide expedited family reunification for millions of families awaiting visas. It would reform our future immigration system by wiping out the huge backlog of those waiting for family-based visas, and by allowing legal permanent residents to bring spouses and family with them immediately.

I will keep your views in mind as the Senate continues to work on comprehensive immigration reform.

Thank you again for contacting me on this important matter. Please feel free to contact me in the future on this or any other subject.

Although it does still feel a little "canned", it actually seems that there was some thought put behind it on the actual issue.

A lot of us will be through most of our journey before this would have any effect, but for future filers, this bill could be a really good thing, or it could make things worse. So, for those interested, share your thoughts with your senators and let's see if they can get something right for a change and make the process simpler and more streamlined for those of us who just want to be with our loved ones.

EDIT: For those interested, the information on the bill can be found here:

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/s744

Edited May 14, 2013 by UK-USA-K1