Latest news with #AlexPadilla
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Proposed Green-Card Change Could Benefit 8 Million Immigrants
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Senator Alex Padilla, a California Democrat, introduced a bill he said could make it easier for 8 million immigrants to obtain a green card. Newsweek reached out to Padilla's office for comment via email. Why It Matters Immigration reform has stalled in Washington as Democrats and Republicans have struggled to reach consensus on what remains one of the most sharply divisive political issues facing the country. Immigration remains one of the most critical political issues, particularly amid President Donald Trump's mass deportations and increased immigration enforcement, which has drawn scrutiny from immigration advocates. Trump has said his administration would target criminals, but there have been reports about people without a criminal past being swept up by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids over the past few months. Padilla's office said his bill, if it becomes law, could provide relief to millions of migrants including Dreamers, people holding Temporary Protected Status (TPS), children of long-term visa holders, essential workers and highly skilled professionals. California Senator Alex Padilla, a Democrat, speaks at a press conference in Washington on May 8, 2024. California Senator Alex Padilla, a Democrat, speaks at a press conference in Washington on May 8, To Know Padilla announced the "Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929" last week. If it becomes law, the bill will amend Section 249 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, also known as the Registry statute, which allows immigrants who have resided continuously in the United States since January 1, 1972, to apply for permanent resident status. The new proposal would update that cutoff, creating a rolling eligibility period enabling those who have lived in the U.S. for at least seven years, without a criminal record and meeting existing requirements, to apply for a green card. "Americans know there's a better path forward than the Trump Administration's cruel scapegoating of hardworking immigrants and fearmongering of California communities," Padilla wrote in the press release. "We believe that if you've lived here for over seven years, paid taxes for years, contributed to your community for years, and you don't have a criminal record, then you deserve a pathway to legalization." However, the bill could face an uphill climb in Congress, which has struggled to pass immigration reforms in recent years. Republicans hold a majority in the Senate and the House, and it's not clear that Padilla's bill would have support from many conservatives who have generally supported more restrictive immigration policies. Unless Democrats win a veto-proof majority in the 2026 midterms, Trump could still block any immigration bill passed by Congress, even under Democratic control. Congress has adjusted Section 249 four times since it was enacted in 1929 but not since 1986. Padilla's office wrote that 8 million migrants would be affected by the bill, which would bring $121 billion to the U.S. economy and $35 billion in taxes. What People Are Saying Senator Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat who serves as the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, in a statement released by Padilla's office: "Protections for these hard-working individuals are long overdue. It's common sense that immigrants who pose no safety threat and contribute to our country should be able to call America home with certainty; additionally, it's also common sense that the small percentage of undocumented immigrants who do commit violent crimes should be removed. Expanding the registry pathway to citizenship is a practical solution to provide stability to immigrants who have worked and contributed to our country for years." Elon Musk's America PAC, on X: "Democrat Senator Alex Padilla introduces legislation to grant amnesty to illegals and give them citizenship if they live in the US for over 7 years. They are now trying to codify what has been their plan all along — Importing new Democrat voters." What Happens Next Padilla plans to formally introduce his bill to the Senate. Debate and committee hearings are possible, though Republican control in both chambers creates a challenging path forward.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘There has to be a better way': CA Senator Alex Padilla to introduce immigration reform legislation
(INSIDE CALIFORNIA POLITICS) — California Senator Alex Padilla will introduce legislation on Monday that would provide a pathway to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants. The bill, dubbed 'Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929,' would provide access to lawful permanent resident status by advancing the date for eligibility under immigration registry. Immigration registry is an existing process that allows individuals to apply for permanent resident status on the basis of their long-term residency in the U.S. In order to qualify, individuals must have entered the country on or before a specified date and must demonstrate good moral character and continuous residence since their entry. After its creation in 1929, Congress advanced the registry date four times, most recently in 1986, when the date was set at January 1, 1972. Only non-citizens who entered the United States by that date are eligible to apply for permanent resident status through registry. The date is now so far in the past that few individuals are eligible. Padilla's bill would: Update the outdated 'Registry' cutoff date so that long-term residents may qualify for lawful permanent resident status if they have lived in the U.S. continuously for at least seven years prior to filing an application under the Registry Preempt the need for further congressional action by making the Registry eligibility cutoff rolling, instead of tying it to a specific date, as it is now Provide a pathway to a green card for Dreamers, TPS holders and other forcibly displaced individuals, and highly skilled members of the workforce, such as H-1B visa holders, who have been waiting years for a visa number to become available Padilla's announcement comes as new polls show growing frustration over President Donald Trump's mass deportation effort and just one month after he was forcibly removed from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's press conference. 'It's not just the general public that has seen the cruelty and the overreach of Trump's deportation agenda,' Padilla said. 'The public opinion polls out there show that the vast majority of the American people see it for what it is and they support immigration. They know that it's a good thing and that not just DREAMers and farmworkers, but so many others deserve that pathway to legalization and potentially, eventually citizenship.' Padilla spoke to Inside California Politics host Nikki Laurenzo about the legislation and its likelihood of advancing in the Senate. Padilla said he has not secured support from any of his republican colleagues. 'Look, it may be tough. It certainly will be a lot of work, but I think the time is now,' Padilla said. 'Not a day has gone by since I've been in the Senate that I'm not talking to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle about the need to modernize our immigration system. And I point to California as an example. We're the fourth largest economy in the world, not despite our diverse and immigrant communities in California, but because of their contributions as workers, as consumers, as entrepreneurs.' Padilla says his proposal is based on a simple principle: if you've built a life here, you deserve a chance to stay. 'Let me be clear, if they truly were only focusing on dangerous, violent criminals, as Donald Trump likes to say repeatedly, there would be no debate, there would be no discussion,' Padilla said. 'But what we are seeing on a daily basis is the reality that the majority of the people being arrested, being detained, being deported have no violent criminal history.' Padilla also weighed in on whether former Vice President Kamala Harris should run for California governor in 2026. Inside California Politics airs this weekend during the following times: KTLA: Sunday, July 27 at 5:30 Saturday, July 26 at 6:30 Saturday, July 26 at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday, July 27 at 8:30 Sunday, July 27 at 5:30 a.m. and 11:00 Sunday, July 27 at 8:30 Saturday, July 26 at 11:00 p.m. and Sunday, July 27 at 7:30 a.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
CBS News
5 days ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Sen. Alex Padilla introduces immigration legislation to expand pathway for legalization, citizenship
California Sen. Alex Padilla introduced legislation to help expand the existing pathway to help immigrants obtain legalization in the U.S. At a news conference Friday morning, Padilla announced he was introducing legislation to allow undocumented individuals who have been in the U.S. for seven or more years, have paid their taxes, have contributed to their communities and have no criminal record a more accessible pathway to become lawful permanent residents. Padilla said his bill is aimed at protecting long-term residents and strengthening immigrant communities. "Our new bill is simple and makes common sense," Padilla said. "The United States of America is not the United States of America without immigrants." Padilla, joined by community leaders, said they hope to update the current cutoff date of the existing Immigration Act of 1929, known as the "Registry Bill." Padilla explained that the last time the law was updated was in 1986 under the Reagan administration. The law currently says that if an immigrant has lived in the U.S. since Jan. 1, 1972, they may apply for and obtain a green card. Padilla said he knows it will take a lot of work to get the bill passed, but believes now is the perfect time for it to be updated. Padilla, who is from Pacoima, is a ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee. He has been an outspoken opponent of President Trump's immigration crackdown taking place across Southern California and the country. In June, Padilla was forcibly removed from a news conference held by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who was providing an update about immigration operations and protests. Video from the incident showed Noem describing what she called the "burdensome leadership" of California's governor and the mayor of LA, when Padilla interrupted her and attempted to ask a question. He was forcibly removed from the room, forced to the ground, handcuffed, but was not detained or arrested. Noem told reporters afterward that she "wished that [Padilla] would have reached out and identified himself and let us know who he was and that he wanted to talk."
The Verge
5 days ago
- The Verge
The Internet Archive is now an official hub for government documents.
Posted Jul 25, 2025 at 6:36 PM UTC The Internet Archive is now an official hub for government documents. California Senator Alex Padilla granted the Internet Archive federal depository status, allowing it to more easily access and share government documents with the public. 'By being part of the program itself, it just gets us closer to the source of where the materials are coming from, so that it's more reliably delivered to the Internet Archive,' Internet Archive founder Brewster Kahle told KQED . Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates. Emma Roth Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All by Emma Roth Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All News Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Policy Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Tech Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Web
Engadget
5 days ago
- Business
- Engadget
Internet Archive is now an official US government document library
The US Senate has granted the Internet Archive federal depository status, making it officially part of an 1,100-library network that gives the public access to government documents, KQED reported. The designation was made official in a letter from California Senator Alex Padilla to the Government Publishing Office that oversees the network. "The Archive's digital-first approach makes it the perfect fit for a modern federal depository library, expanding access to federal government publications amid an increasingly digital landscape," he wrote. Established by Congress in 1813, the Federal Depository Library Program is designed to help the public access government records. Each congressional member can designate up to two libraries, which include government information like budgets, a code of federal regulations, presidential documents, economic reports and census data. With its new status, the Internet Archive will be gain improved access to government materials, founder Brewster Kahle said in a statement. "By being part of the program itself, it just gets us closer to the source of where the materials are coming from, so that it's more reliably delivered to the Internet Archive, to then be made available to the patrons of the Internet Archive or partner libraries." The Archive could also help other libraries move toward digital preservation, given its experience in that area. It's some good news for the site which has faced legal battles of late. It was sued by major publishers over loans of digital books during the Coronavirus epidemic and was forced by a federal court in 2023 to remove more than half a million titles. And more recently, major music label filed lawsuits over its Great 78 Project that strove to preserve 78 RPM records. If it loses that case it could owe more than $700 million damages and possibly be forced to shut down. The new designation likely won't aid its legal problems, but it does affirm the site's importance to the public. "In October, the Internet Archive will hit a milestone of 1 trillion pages," Kahle wrote. "And that 1 trillion is not just a testament to what libraries are able to do, but actually the sharing that people and governments have to try and create an educated populace."
