Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA) have introduced the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 into Congress, representing a major plank in the 2020 Democratic Party election platform. The Bill will be debated against growing concern over the escalation in cost of the current H-2A program that is imposing restraints on agricultural employers on Western state farms

Provisions of the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 will include:

• A path to ultimate citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants including residents brought to the U.S. as children, farm workers and those successfully passing background checks.
• Family-based immigration will be expedited to reunify families
• Elimination of per-country caps facilitating permanent residence status and immigration for holders of science and engineering degrees from U.S. universities
• Increased funding for integration initiatives for immigrants and support for state and local governments
• Protection of workers from exploitation and improved employment verification

Political observers suggest that immigration reform could be accomplished more easily through a series of smaller and more focused bills than a single comprehensive overhaul.