(Courtesy: San Francisco Chronicle) AUSTIN, TX: Congress is considering legislation to reduce drastically the ability of legal immigrants to bring extended family to the United States. ‘Among the more controversial provisions of the National Interest Act of 1995 is a change in the definition of families. In place of the existing broad approach that allows legal immigrants to be reunited in the United States ‘with their adult children, parents and siblings, the bill would give priority to spouses and unmarried children under the age of 21. The proposal would apply even to legal immigrants who have been here long enough to become citizens and want to bring their extended family to America.

“The legislation puts priority on reuniting the nuclear family,” said U; Representative Lamar Smith, RTexas, who chairs the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and who has spent months drafting the proposal.

The bill has drawn bipartisan support Some 40 lawmakers are co-sponsoring the legislation. including several Democrats who are siding with ‘unions that worry about immigrants competing with Americans for jobs. Former Texas Congresswoman Barbara Jordan, who is chairing a national immigration commission, has made similar recommendations, including the emphasis on unifying nuclear rather than extended families. President Clinton has thrown his support behind Jordan.

Smith’s legislation deals with legal and illegal immigration. His goal is to curb illegal entry while almost halying the 900,000 legal immigrants admitted every year and changing the ‘qualifications needed for admission. “When you allow older children, brothers and sisters to come in, you are creating a chain migration,” Smith said. “That has to stop because we are allowing millions into the country without regard for their skills and education.

 The backlog of people waiting to center the United States exceeds I million. Some have waited for decades. Most are applying under family reunification quotas.

But their patience will not be rewarded, Under Smith’s bill; they would have to meet the new rules to be admitted into the country. “Deonle don’t have to come to the United States, It is their choice. If they leave their children behind. It is also their choice. We can’t be responsible for the decisions of individuals,” Smith said.

Article extracted from this publication >>  July 14, 1995