WASHINGTON - America’s 11 million undocumented immigrants could become legal permanent residents within eight years, under President Barack Obama’s version of immigration reform, a news report says.
New details emerged on the president’s plan Sunday after a copy of a draft version of the bill was obtained by USA Today. The president has said he will propose his version to Congress for a vote if lawmakers don’t work out their own plan soon.
Republican Senator Marco Rubio, a key figure in developing the Senate’s bipartisan version of the plan, told the paper that Obama’s bill would be ‘dead on arrival’ in Congress. He said it “creates a special pathway that puts those who broke our immigration laws at an advantage over those who chose to do things the right way and come here legally.”
The president’s plan would let undocumented immigrants apply for a newly created ‘Lawful Prospective Immigrant’ visa. To be approved, they would have to pass a criminal background check, submit biometric information and pay fees.
That visa would allow them to work and live legally in the US for four years and leave the country for short periods of time. After the four years, they could reapply for an extension, according to USA Today.
They could then apply for legal permanent residence, known as a green card, within eight years if they learn English and “the history and government of the United States” and pay back taxes. After that, they can apply for US citizenship, the article said.