This information has been provided by immigration specialist Gibney, Anthony & Flaherty.

The status of an estimated 11 million persons currently in the US without an immigration status under the proposed Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR) is proving a contentious issue.

Legalising the status of persons currently in the US with no immigration status as part of CIR is a controversial issue that is closely intertwined with the economic state of the nation. 

Supporters of legalisation argue that this demographic s is part of US society and economy.

On the other hand, those against legalisation contend that providing a path to citizenship for undocumented persons undermines the rule of law and creates an unfair reward for law breakers.

The main CIR proposals at this point, including the Bipartisan Framework for CIR authored by Senators Schumer, McCain, Durbin, Graham, Menendez, Rubio, Bennet, and Flake, and the White House’s Draft CIR Bill, both include provisions for legalisation and a path to US citizenship for persons in the US without status.

The Bipartisan Framework provides for legalisation contingent upon achievement of increased border security.

The White House’s Draft CIR Bill provides for the creation of a Lawful Prospective Immigrant (LPI) status that, following satisfaction of requirements such as paying a fee, paying taxes, and proving understanding of the English language and US civics, would provide a pathway to citizenship.

Both proposals provide that legalisation applicants would need to “go to the back of the line” behind those already awaiting permanent residence in the US, though the practicality of achieving that goal in a system with multiple “lines” could prove challenging.