English: ‘USCIS To Issue Redesigned Green Card’ (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

USA Today’s preview of the President’s Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR) plan indicates that it presently includes proposals for increased border security funding, a reworking of the employment verification protocol and, most importantly, an eight year legalization path for undocumented immigrants along with criminal checks, exams and back taxes.  Unfortunately, no word yet on relief for legal immigrants in the queue or STEM/Professional Workers.

Undocumented immigrants would wait eight (8) years to get a green card – the later of 1. eight years from the date the Immigration Reform passes or 2. until all legal immigrants currently waiting in line receive a green card (as the President had previously announced).  This would essentially mean the maximum wait time would be eight years, as plenty of legal immigrants are currently waiting up to 24 years for a family based green card (F4 Preference: U.S. Citizen filing for a brother/sister born in the Philippines) or 11 years for an employment based green card (EB3 Preference – U.S. Employer filing for an Indian skilled/professional worker).

While no one begrudges relief for undocumented immigrants, Comprehensive Immigration Reform will not be “Comprehensive” unless additional visa numbers are added for the family and employment based immigrants waiting patiently in line.

Related articles

• President Obama’s immigration reform resembles Sen. Marco Rubio’s plan (miamiherald.com)
• Obama’s backup plan: Maximum 13-year wait for citizenship (news.yahoo.com)