'Restore justice': Biden's new immigration bill to provide citizenship to illegal settlers

US President Joe Biden on Thursday presented legislation to the Congress, which he says will bring the much-needed change to an immigration system where reform is long overdue. President Biden introduced the bill, known as the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 on February 17. The legislation will have to stand the test in both houses of the US Congress, one of the toughest challenges for the new administration. 

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The bill will provide an eight-year path to citizenship for nearly 11 million illegal immigrants, who pass background checks and continue to pay their taxes. The bill will also include "Dreamers, farmworkers, and TPS (Temporary Protected Status) holders", to get citizenship of the United States in an expedited process. The bill, if passed, will also benefit thousands of H-1B visa holders, of which most of them are Indians and Chinese. 

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"I look forward to working with leaders in the House and Senate to address the wrongdoings of the past administration and restore justice, humanity, and order to our immigration system. This is an important first step in pursuing immigration policies that unite families, grow and enhance our economy, and safeguard our security," Biden said in a statement. 

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'Will address root cause of illegal immigration'

According to Biden's proposal, the bill will address the "root causes" of irregular migration from the South, will modernise the legal immigration pathways, and manage the borders with "smart investments". The bill is a follow-up to Biden's announcement, which he made on the first day of assuming office. 

Biden thanked Senator Bob Menendez and Representative Linda Sánchez, both of whom introduced the bill in their respected houses. The bill will require at least 60 votes in the Senate to pass, which looks like a tough task ahead for Biden's administration as the Democrats only control 50 votes in the upper house, excluding the Senate Chair Kamala Harris.

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