Dems eye migrant worker legal status extension

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(The Center Square) - Democrat lawmakers introduced a bill to give migrant noncitizens in certain industries temporary work status in the United States.

The Strengthening Our Workforce Act would give noncitizens two year temporary status in the United States if they work in the health care, agriculture, energy, emergency response, education, hospitality, construction and child care industries.

“People who work hard, follow the rules, and play a vital role in our economy should never be forced to live in the shadows or in fear of mass deportation,” said Rep. Gabe Vazquez, D-NM., a sponsor of the bill.

The legislation would require the migrants who apply for the temporary status to be physically present in the United States since Jan. 1 2024, free from criminal conviction, be in a covered profession and maintain annual employment.

“It’s past time to fix our broken immigration system and create better pathways to citizenship. I’m proud to help introduce this legislation to bring us closer to an immigration system that centers on humanity, dignity and justice,” said Rep. Juan Vargas, D-Calif., a sponsor of the bill.

The bill contains a clause allowing migrants with misdemeanor offenses to obtain citizenship, as long as the misdemeanor occurred 5-10 years before they apply to the legal status program.

Several advocacy groups praised the introduction of the bill. Frank Knapp, managing director of the business coalition Secure Growth Initiative, said the bill would help the economy.

“The Strengthening Our Workforce Act adds to the growing bipartisan Congressional momentum to end the mass deportation efforts that are causing labor shortages and loss of consumer spending by the immigration community, both of which are pushing down our revenue for small businesses,” Knapp said.

Jeff Wasden, president of the business association State Business Executives, said it is important to increase legal pathways for businesses from a variety of industries to recruit workers. He said the hospitality industry will need a boost as the United States prepares to host the World Cup and the Olympics.

“We’re hosting significant events within this country and it’s going to require a significant amount of labor,” Wasden said.

Democrat Reps. Juan Vargas, Nydia Velazquez, Delia Ramirez and Angie Craig have yet to receive Republican support on the proposed bill.

The Center Square reached out to several Republican lawmakers for comment on the bill’s introduction but did not receive a response by the time of publication.