Democrats Introduce Bill to Promote Inclusion, Raise Number of Refugees in US

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US Congresswoman Grace Meng and Senator Edward Markey reintroduced legislation on Wednesday to promote inclusion of new immigrants to the United States and raise the number of refugees eligible to enter the country every year.

The two Democratic lawmakers reintroduced the New Deal for New Americans Act in both chambers of Congress, Meng’s office said in a statement.

The bill would establish a National Office of New Americans to promote and support immigrant and refugee integration and inclusion, the statement said. The legislation would also reduce barriers to naturalization by amending the English and civics exam requirements for older individuals and exempting US high school graduates from the tests, the statement said.

Additionally, the bill would raise the US refugee admissions cap to 125,000 per fiscal year, the statement said.

“I am proud to reintroduce this visionary roadmap for an immigration system that isn’t only centered on enforcement and penalties, but instead prioritizes support for refugees and migrants as they navigate their new homeland and participate in the social, economic and civic life of their communities,” Markey is quoted as saying in the statement.

The bill also provides for automatic voter registration for newly naturalized individuals, lowers the family integration petition age from 21 years old to 18 years old, and creates a grant program to support organizations that provide legal services on immigration issues, the statement said.

Investments in new Americans are investments in the country’s “future generations,” Meng said in the statement.

The legislation is endorsed by groups including the National Partnership for New Americans, Immigrant Legal Resource Center and Refugee Congress, the statement said.