In this video, we're going to talk about the political situation involving the immigration
reform bill that president Biden sent this week to Capitol Hill. We're going to talk
about where things stand right now with the immigration reform bill and what are the likelihood
of this passage? What is the likelihood of it passing? And then I'm also going to share
some really important new information about the reform bill that I got to today. And so
you're going to want to watch this video all the way until the end, and this is actually
a live session. So for those of you who are on Facebook, joining me live welcome. It's
good to see you as folks are joining this session, go ahead and chime in, send some
hearts likes and share this with other people. And then certainly, certainly, um, comment
below as well. Okay. For those of you who are new to me, I'm Latoya, McBean Pompey and
immigration lawyer in New York.
Thank you so much for being on, um, in this forum with me. And I see some familiar faces
and it as usual, it is always, always a delight to see you guys. So let's talk about the immigration
reform bill. Um, so the political landscape is, well, where is, where are things right
now with the immigration reform bill, the U S citizenship act of 2021 that I've been
talking so much about this week and others have been talking about it a lot. It is the
hottest immigration topic today. And so as of today, it's Friday, Friday night, the legislation
has not been formally introduced in the Senate yet. However, the Senator that is taken the
charge or the lead on this legislation is Senator Menendez out of New Jersey, a Democrat
out of New Jersey. And he has, he has this bill and it's hundreds of pages long.
And it includes the elements that we've been talking about this week. In addition to more
things that I'm going to share with you in this session. So again, stick around all the
way until the end. So Senator Menendez, yesterday, he spoke and I'm going to pull it up here
yesterday. He spoke just a little bit and he posted a YouTube video as well, a 16 minute
YouTube video that, um, talked a little bit more about this bill. And so he did mention
in his video that the bill has not been introduced yet. And in fact it is not public yet. Okay.
We don't have it yet. It's not out there. What we do have is still the summary is the
summary that I've went over with you guys this week. And, uh, we have his video talking
a little bit more about the bill. Now, what are the prospects of this pass it?
Well, first of all, Senator Menendez himself indicated that it's going to be a Herculean
effort. It's an uphill. He didn't say it's going to be an uphill battle. But what he
did say is that it will be a Herculean effort. Okay? It's not going to be easy to get this
type of comprehensive immigration reform bill pass. Despite the fact that the Senate is
democratically controlled. And we're going to talk about why the reason for that in a
moment. So he said that it's a Herculean task. And, but at the same time, he believes that
he is the Joshua. He is the Joshua. Um, in other words, he is the one to get us to the
promised land. And he's been trying for many years, he was part of different efforts over
the years to bring about comprehensive immigration reform. And so he has picked up this task
and it is very, he's taken it very seriously.
And he also said this, that, uh, if I thought that this was just a messaging bill, uh, that
was going to go absolutely nowhere. Then I wouldn't have lent my name to it. Having said
that, yes, this will be tough. So he is not, he is not, um, he's not naive. He understands
that this is gonna be a hard effort because when you're talking about a pathway to citizenship
for 11 million people, that's not an easy thing to accomplish. Okay, what else are?
So that's one thing. So he's, he's taken this very seriously. He's the Joshua taken us to
the promised land with immigration reform. And he's speaking with other senators trying
to rally their support around this proposal. And then you have the, some other Republicans
who are also supportive of immigration reform they've weighed in this week as well about
the proposal. And so here's Mark Rubio, Republican out of Florida who said, well, there are many
issues.
I think we can work cooperatively with president elect by it. And I don't know why president
elect Biden, but a blanket amnesty for people who are here unlawfully. Isn't going to be
one of them. He said on Tuesday. Okay. So he said this statement, uh, before Biden was
officially swell, uh, sworn in on Wednesday. Okay. So that's Rubio who had also supported
immigration reform and championed, uh, immigration reform in the past. So that's his position.
He doesn't like a blanket amnesty, which is what they, how they are framing it. And then
we also have Senator Graham, okay. Lindsey Graham Republican out of South Carolina, who
said, well, here's what I really think is going to happen with immigration reform. Okay.
I think probably the space in a 50 50 Senate would be some kind of DACA deal. He said on
Thursday, comprehensive immigration is going to be a tough sell given this environment,
but doing DACA I think is possible.
So from Graham's perspective, he doesn't see, he doesn't see something big and massive such
as this one pass. And he sees the smaller pieces, right. DACA, which is very significant,
but he sees a possibility of codified or making law or permanent DACA. Okay. So that's where
Lindsey Graham is on this. And then, uh, we have Senator Durbin Durbin out of, um, Illinois,
give me some hearts and thumbs up if you're like, Oh, she knows some politics. I know,
I know these people. Yeah. Right. Don't know them. But, um, so he's out of Illinois. And
so he is the Senate majority whip. Okay. And he told reporters at the Capitol on Capitol
Hill, on Thursday, that he had reached out to a half a dozen Republicans on immigration.
And they've been open to the discussion or the conversation. So Senator Durban is making
his, um, he's making his rounds.
He's trying to rally support for immigration reform. And so that's where things are with,
uh, with respect to some of these folks who are in leadership or who have been on the
forefront of immigration reform in the past. Now today on Instagram, on McBean immigration
law, which you guys should follow if you're not following yet. Um, I did post, um, this
little, uh, statement indicating what it will take for this to pass. And so in fact, it
takes, it's two ways that this can pass the Senate. The first way is on the, is on the
screen before you, 50 Democrats are needed and 10 Republicans are needed. And that will
give you a vote of 60, uh, 60, uh, individuals who, um, have agreed to pass this bill. The
other way that this can work is this, um, you could have 50 Democrats plus, um, vice
president, Kamala Harris, Wayne.
And that would be a fit 51 and then nine Republicans. And in fact, Senator Menendez, that's what
he said in his YouTube video. That's what he is actually looking at. He's looking at
having 51 votes on the democratic side and then nine on the Republican side. So that's
the strategy that they're looking at, um, currently, but if you read any article, most
articles will say, you need a 50 Democrats and then 10 Republicans. And why is that?
Okay. Summit, many of you are very smart, you know, the answer, right? And that's because
of the whole filibuster issue. Okay. If you, if have that 50 50 vote going on in the 50
50, you cannot have, um, then Camila Harris weigh in and then, okay, that's it? No, actually
filibuster can be raised to delay or stop a vote entirely. And so it's a rule. It's
a rule that is, that is very much, um, part of the Senate, um, process, unless they get
rid of it somehow.
But, uh, it filibuster does happen. You absolutely need to have 60 votes in order to overcome
it. So that's why people are throwing around the 50 plus 10 number or the 51 plus nine
number. So that's where things stand currently. The bill has not been formally introduced
the Senate, um, session, the 117th Congress. They're only, um, Senate there, it's only
what day. I don't even know what day we're on here, but it's a very new Congress. And
so, um, let's, I will be sure to let you guys know once the bill is formally introduced
and as it's making its way through the committee markup process, but let me share with you
now. Some things that Senator Menendez said today said in his YouTube video, everybody's
into YouTube, Senator Menendez has his YouTube channel. He might be happy that I've even
mentioned this I'm driving traffic to his channel, but in any event, um, here's what
he said in his YouTube video.
And he was speaking before a group of business leaders. And he said that the reform bill
will create a six year lawful perspective, immigrant status or LPI status. So it creates
a six year temporary LPI status in which you're able to, individuals will be able to work.
So they will have work permission or the EAD, they will be able to travel. So they will
be able to get, um, the travel document advance parole. They will be able to join the military.
He said in his video about the bill and then, and also they will not face deportation during
this LPI status period of six years. Okay. Now he also said that this lawful perspective
immigrant status would also apply to spouses and children as well. Um, so he said that
once an individual registers, uh, as, uh, and passes a background, passes the background
checks, then they would go into some sort of protective, temporary protective status.
That's what he said in his video. He also said after five years, as we've been talking
about the individual will be eligible to apply for the green card. Uh, he also mentioned
that TPS DACA and, uh, farm workers are eligible for the green card right away as well under
the legislation. And then he also said, and this is, um, this is, uh, kind of new on my
end, but he also said that spouses and children of green card holders would be considered
immediate relatives. They would have the IRR immediate relative status, um, like us like
spouses and children of us citizens. So green card holders, spouses and children will also
be con considered immediate relatives. And as you guys know, immediate relatives are
the highest priority of in our immigration system. Really. The other thing he said, and
we've talked about this is that after three years, all green card holders may apply for
naturalist naturalization.
So those are the things that I wanted to share with you that is kind of new, uh, with respect
to the immigration reform bill that he is, um, he is taken on this, this mantle to take
us to the promised land. He said, those were his words, very strong words. Uh, let's see
if he can get us to the promised land with nine Republicans to support this measure.
And if they do not support this measure, um, in this format, which is a massive format,
then they're gonna, um, they're looking at scale and it down. So that's some smaller
pieces of immigration reform can pass during, uh, this year sent John president Biden needs
some short-term wins, okay. To show us that he is doing something okay, this is the kind
of discussions they have behind the scenes he needs. What is the fastest quickest short-term
win low hanging fruit that we can go after DACA, DACA, that's easy to do.
We can make that into it. We could create some added to a stimulus bill or something
like that, or spend in bill and we can codify it and make it law, make it permanent. Let's
start that way. Um, or other pieces. They could also pull into this two smaller pieces
of this immigration reform bill. So let's stay, um, I'm staying on this obviously to
update you guys and keep you posted on things on Monday night, uh, on Monday night on Instagram,
I will be doing my life and this live will focus on the top questions that I'm receiving
from you about the reform bill and, uh, the executive orders. So I'm pulling your questions
from Instagram, from Facebook and from my YouTube channel. And I will be going over
the, uh, some things that you've asked me about the immigration reform bill. So join
me on Monday night on Instagram, McBean immigration law for that live session.
And then also I do want to remind you guys that today, as a matter of fact today, um,
my mini course on how to prepare for your embassy visa interview is now available. And
people have been grabbing it. It's only $37. And, um, it's a terrific way for you to prepare
or your family to prepare and understand some of the security questions and other types
of questions that your relative or you as likely to face when you go on an immigrant
visa interview. And as I've also shared with you guys that it is nine lessons, nine lessons
that comes along, that's part of this. Okay? So in any event, I'm going to jump off and
I'm going to, once I figure out how to get this off, I'm going to jump off and again,
ask your questions and I'm going to pull your questions and answer, uh, some of them on
Monday night live at 9:00 PM on Instagram guys, if anything else come up over the next
day, uh, I will be back before you, okay, to keep you guys posted.
If you're watching this on YouTube subscribe and hit the notification bell, so that you'll
be the first to get notice of my videos each week. Guys, you've been awesome. Thank you
so much. One final thing. One final thing. If you're contacting McMeen law office, uh,
contacts where, um, we ask that only serious inquiries only contact us. If you'd like to
book a consultation to meet with me, um, and our office to get help on your immigration
case. We're happy to work with you and help you during this time. So contact the law office
to book a consultation. We do not answer questions over the phone. Uh, trust me, we are busy
from morning until late into the night. So you've got to get your appointment on our
calendar. Thanks so much. And I will see you in the next one. Bye bye.