"She has stood with us in our worst moments," including during the presidency of Donald Trump, Salas said. "When she knew that our families were fearful, she went to CHIRLA. She talked to our members. She told them that she would be a fighter for them. And she kept her promise."
Over the decades, Congress has periodically updated the 'registry date,' but not since 1986. The current cutoff means that immigrants are only eligible if they've lived in the U.S. continuously since 1972. "So that's what we're asking: Update this registry law created to bring people out of the shadows," Salas said. "We need to educate members of Congress and the public. A lot of people don't even know that the registry law already exists."
A Gallup poll this month found that a growing number of Americans - 55%, up from 41% last year - want immigration levels reduced, and three out of four consider the border a crisis or a major problem. However, a strong majority of Americans also say immigration is good for the country, and 70% want to let immigrants living in the U.S. illegally become U.S. citizens if they meet certain requirements over time, a policy that has had consistent support for years.
However, in a closely divided Congress, with Republicans unified in their opposition to immigration reform, the bill has no chance of passage. The House bill, authored by Rep. Zoe Lofgren of San Jose, has 82 Democratic co-sponsors but no Republican backers. Similarly, the Senate version, authored by Califor...
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