Extend Section 245(i)

Call Your Congressional Representatives and Urge a Permanent Extension of Section 245(i)

Urgent action by the members of the League of United Latin American Citizens is needed to win the battle to permanently extend Section 245(i), a provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Section 245(i) currently allows eligible immigrants to apply for permanent residence in the United States without having to return to their country of origin by paying a fine of $1,000. This provision has become especially important now that out-of-status immigrants who stay in the US for more than six months and then leave would be barred from returning to the US for three to ten years. If Section 245(i) is not extended, immigrants with close family and business ties to the US would be forced to leave their families, give up their jobs and return to their countries of origin while waiting to have their applications for legal residency processed. The obvious economic, social, and emotional hardship would be tremendous as immigrants would have to choose between separating families and losing employment or staying in the country and being barred from applying for legal residency.

The second temporary extension of this provision is set to expire on November 7, 1997 a date by which the House and Senate must approve an appropriations bill for the 1998 Fiscal Year. In the Senateís version of the appropriations bill, a permanent extension of Section 245(i) has been included, an action not yet undertaken by the House. LULACís strategy is to gain House support while securing the Senateís continued backing of the provision.

The final fate of Section 245(i) will be determined in the coming weeks during a House-Senate Conference Committee. LULAC is calling on its members to mobilize in support of immigrants across the country who are faced with this difficult situation. Please contact your Members of Congress now and urge them to support the permanent extension of Section 245(i). The US Capitol Switchboard telephone number is 202-224-3121. For further information regarding Section 245(i) call 202-408-0060.

Points in support of Section 245(i):

It allows people who have met requirements for legal residency to remain in the US and avoid losing jobs, incurring costs of travel and separating family members.
It avoids bars of admissibility, which would penalize unjustly those who have inadvertently overstayed student and temporary work visas and deny US businesses skilled employees.
Since the programís inception in 1994, it has generated millions of dollars in annual revenues, including $200 million in 1997 alone.
Section 245(i) frees up consular officers overseas to provide better services to Americans abroad.
A majority (68%) of those adjusting under this provision are close family members of US citizens.
Section 245(i) benefits American businesses, families and the Federal budget.