Overview

• Senator Alex Padilla introduced the “Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929” in the Senate on July 26 with Dick Durbin as co-sponsor and Zoe Lofgren filed a companion bill in the House.
• The legislation amends Section 249 of the Immigration and Nationality Act to replace the fixed January 1, 1972 cutoff with a rolling seven-year residency threshold and existing eligibility criteria.
• More than eight million people would become eligible for green cards under the change, including Dreamers, Temporary Protected Status holders, children at risk of aging out, essential workers and visa-backlogged professionals.
• Republican majorities in the Senate and House present significant obstacles, with committee debates expected and conservative lawmakers expressing doubts about expanded legalization pathways.
• Supporters argue the update is a straightforward, cost-effective fix requiring no new bureaucracy, while critics question its fairness to immigrants who followed existing legal channels and its impact on visa systems.