[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6565 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6565
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to promote family unity,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 10, 2025
Ms. Chu (for herself, Ms. Ansari, Ms. Balint, Ms. Barragan, Ms.
Bonamici, Mr. Carson, Mr. Castro of Texas, Ms. Crockett, Ms. DelBene,
Mr. Espaillat, Mr. Frost, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Mr. Garcia of
California, Mr. Gomez, Mrs. Grijalva, Ms. Norton, Ms. Jayapal, Mr.
Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Mr. Lieu, Ms. Matsui, Mr.
McGovern, Ms. Meng, Mr. Nadler, Ms. Omar, Mr. Quigley, Mrs. Ramirez,
Ms. Sanchez, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Scott of Virginia, Ms. Simon, Mr.
Smith of Washington, Ms. Stansbury, Mr. Takano, Mr. Thanedar, Ms.
Tokuda, Mr. Vargas, Ms. Velazquez, and Ms. Wasserman Schultz)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to promote family unity,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Reuniting Families
Act''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as
follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
TITLE I--REDUCING FAMILY-BASED VISA BACKLOGS AND PROMOTING FAMILY
REUNIFICATION
Sec. 101. Recapture of immigrant visas lost to bureaucratic delay.
Sec. 102. Reclassification of spouses, permanent partners, and minor
children of legal permanent residents as
immediate relatives.
Sec. 103. Country limits.
Sec. 104. Promoting family unity.
Sec. 105. Relief for orphans, widows, and widowers.
Sec. 106. Exemption from immigrant visa limit for certain veterans who
are natives of the Philippines.
Sec. 107. Fiancee child status protection.
Sec. 108. Equal treatment for all stepchildren.
Sec. 109. Retention of priority dates.
Sec. 110. Relief for spouses and children on other visas.
Sec. 111. Extension of the application period for certain aliens
present in the United States for adjustment
of status.
Sec. 112. Expansion of cancellation of removal.
Sec. 113. Prohibition on removal of aliens with pending applications.
TITLE II--UNITING AMERICAN FAMILIES ACT
Sec. 201. Definitions of permanent partner and permanent partnership.
Sec. 202. Definition of child.
Sec. 203. Numerical limitations on individual foreign states.
Sec. 204. Allocation of immigrant visas.
Sec. 205. Procedure for granting immigrant status.
Sec. 206. Annual admission of refugees and admission of emergency
situation refugees.
Sec. 207. Asylum.
Sec. 208. Adjustment of status of refugees.
Sec. 209. Inadmissible aliens.
Sec. 210. Nonimmigrant status for permanent partners awaiting the
availability of an immigrant visa.
Sec. 211. Derivative status for permanent partners of nonimmigrant visa
holders.
Sec. 212. Conditional permanent resident status for certain alien
spouses, permanent partners, and sons and
daughters.
Sec. 213. Conditional permanent resident status for certain alien
entrepreneurs, spouses, permanent partners,
and children.
Sec. 214. Deportable aliens.
Sec. 215. Removal proceedings.
Sec. 216. Cancellation of removal; adjustment of status.
Sec. 217. Adjustment of status of nonimmigrant to that of person
admitted for permanent residence.
Sec. 218. Application of criminal penalties for misrepresentation and
concealment of facts regarding permanent
partnerships.
Sec. 219. Requirements as to residence, good moral character,
attachment to the principles of the
Constitution.
Sec. 220. Naturalization for permanent partners of citizens.
Sec. 221. Application of family unity provisions to permanent partners
of certain LIFE Act beneficiaries.
Sec. 222. Application to Cuban Adjustment Act.
Sec. 223. Nationality at birth.
TITLE III--PROMOTING DIVERSITY AND PROTECTING AGAINST DISCRIMINATION IN
OUR IMMIGRATION SYSTEM
Sec. 301. Increasing diversity visas.
Sec. 302. Addressing the impact of the Muslim and African bans.
TITLE IV--ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF REFUGEE FAMILIES
Sec. 401. Prioritization of family reunification in refugee
resettlement process.
Sec. 402. Priority 3 family reunification cases.
Sec. 403. Admission of refugee families and timely adjudication.
TITLE I--REDUCING FAMILY-BASED VISA BACKLOGS AND PROMOTING FAMILY
REUNIFICATION
SEC. 101. RECAPTURE OF IMMIGRANT VISAS LOST TO BUREAUCRATIC DELAY.
(a) Worldwide Level of Family-Sponsored Immigrants.--Section 201(c)
of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1151(c)) is amended to
read as follows:
``(c) Worldwide Level of Family-Sponsored Immigrants.--
``(1) In general.--The worldwide level of family-sponsored
immigrants under this subsection for a fiscal year is equal to
the sum of--
``(A) 480,000;
``(B) the number computed under paragraph (2); and
``(C) the number computed under paragraph (3).
``(2) Unused visa numbers from previous fiscal year.--The
number computed under this paragraph for a fiscal year is the
difference, if any, between--
``(A) the worldwide level of family-sponsored
immigrant visas established for the previous fiscal
year; and
``(B) the number of visas issued under section
203(a), subject to this subsection, during the previous
fiscal year.
``(3) Unused visa numbers from fiscal years 1992 through
2025.--The number computed under this paragraph is the
difference, if any, between--
``(A) the difference, if any, between--
``(i) the sum of the worldwide levels of
family-sponsored immigrant visas established
for fiscal years 1992 through 2025; and
``(ii) the number of visas issued under
section 203(a), subject to this subsection,
during such fiscal years; and
``(B) the number of unused visas from fiscal years
1992 through 2025 that were issued after fiscal year
2025 under section 203(a), subject to this
subsection.''.
(b) Worldwide Level of Employment-Based Immigrants.--Section 201(d)
of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1151(d)) is amended to
read as follows:
``(d) Worldwide Level of Employment-Based Immigrants.--
``(1) In general.--The worldwide level of employment-based
immigrants under this subsection for a fiscal year is equal to
the sum of--
``(A) 140,000;
``(B) the number computed under paragraph (2); and
``(C) the number computed under paragraph (3).
``(2) Unused visa numbers from previous fiscal year.--The
number computed under this paragraph for a fiscal year is the
difference, if any, between--
``(A) the worldwide level of employment-based
immigrant visas established for the previous fiscal
year; and
``(B) the number of visas issued under section
203(b), subject to this subsection, during the previous
fiscal year.
``(3) Unused visa numbers from fiscal years 1992 through
2025.--The number computed under this paragraph is the
difference, if any, between--
``(A) the difference, if any, between--
``(i) the sum of the worldwide levels of
employment-based immigrant visas established
for each of fiscal years 1992 through 2025; and
``(ii) the number of visas issued under
section 203(b), subject to this subsection,
during such fiscal years; and
``(B) the number of unused visas from fiscal years
1992 through 2025 that were issued after fiscal year
2025 under section 203(b), subject to this
subsection.''.
(c) Aliens Not Subject to Direct Numerical Limitations.--Section
201(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1151(b)) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``(3)(A) Aliens who are beneficiaries (including derivative
beneficiaries) of approved immigrant petitions bearing priority
dates more than ten years prior to the alien's application for
admission as an immigrant or adjustment of status.
``(B) Aliens described in section 203(d).''.
(d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take
effect on the date which is 60 days after the date of the enactment of
this Act.
SEC. 102. RECLASSIFICATION OF SPOUSES, PERMANENT PARTNERS, AND MINOR
CHILDREN OF LEGAL PERMANENT RESIDENTS AS IMMEDIATE
RELATIVES.
(a) In General.--Section 201(b)(2) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1151(b)(2)) is amended to read as follows:
``(2) Immediate relative.--
``(A) In general.--
``(i) Immediate relative defined.--In this
subparagraph, the term `immediate relative'
means a child, spouse, permanent partner, or
parent of a citizen of the United States or a
child, spouse, or permanent partner of a lawful
permanent resident (and for each family member
of a citizen or lawful permanent resident under
this subparagraph, such individual's spouse,
permanent partner, or child who is accompanying
or following to join the individual), except
that, in the case of parents, such citizens
shall be at least 21 years of age.
``(ii) Previously issued visa.--Aliens
admitted under section 211(a) on the basis of a
prior issuance of a visa under section 203(a)
to their accompanying parent who is an
immediate relative.
``(iii) Parents and children.--An alien who
was the child or parent of a citizen of the
United States or a child of a lawful permanent
resident at the time of the citizen's or
resident's death if the alien files a petition
under section 204(a)(1)(A)(ii) within 2 years
after such date or prior to reaching 21 years
of age.
``(iv) Spouse or permanent partner.--An
alien who was the spouse or permanent partner
of a citizen of the United States or lawful
permanent resident for not less than 2 years at
the time of the citizen's or resident's death
or, if married for less than 2 years at the
time of the citizen's or resident's death,
proves by a preponderance of the evidence that
the marriage or permanent partnership was
entered into in good faith and not solely for
the purpose of obtaining an immigration benefit
and was not legally separated from the citizen
or resident (or, in the case of a permanent
partnership, whose permanent partnership was
not terminated) at the time of the citizen's or
resident's death, and each child of such alien,
shall be considered, for purposes of this
subsection, an immediate relative after the
date of the citizen's or resident's death if
the spouse or permanent partner files a
petition under section 204(a)(1)(A)(ii) before
the date on which the spouse or permanent
partner remarries or enters a permanent
partnership with another person.
``(v) Special rule.--For purposes of this
subparagraph, an alien who has filed a petition
under clause (iii) or (iv) of section
204(a)(1)(A) remains an immediate relative if
the United States citizen or lawful permanent
resident spouse, permanent partner, or parent
loses United States citizenship or residence on
account of the abuse.
``(B) Birth during temporary visit abroad.--Aliens
born to an alien lawfully admitted for permanent
residence during a temporary visit abroad.''.
(b) Allocation of Immigrant Visas.--Section 203(a) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(a)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``23,400'' and inserting
``127,200'';
(2) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:
``(2) Unmarried sons without permanent partners and
unmarried daughters without permanent partners of permanent
resident aliens.--Qualified immigrants who are the unmarried
sons without permanent partners or unmarried daughters without
permanent partners (but are not the children) of an alien
lawfully admitted for permanent residence shall be allocated
visas in a number not to exceed 80,640, plus any visas not
required for the class specified in paragraph (1).'';
(3) in paragraph (3), by striking ``23,400'' and inserting
``80,640''; and
(4) in paragraph (4), by striking ``65,000'' and inserting
``191,520''.
(c) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Rules for determining whether certain aliens are
immediate relatives.--Section 201(f) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1151(f)) is amended--
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``paragraphs (2)
and (3),'' and inserting ``paragraph (2),'';
(B) by striking paragraph (2);
(C) by redesignating paragraphs (3) and (4) as
paragraphs (2) and (3), respectively; and
(D) in paragraph (3), as redesignated by
subparagraph (C), by striking ``through (3)'' and
inserting ``and (2)''.
(2) Allocation of immigration visas.--Section 203(h) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(h)) is amended--
(A) in paragraph (1)--
(i) in the matter preceding subparagraph
(A), by striking ``subsections (a)(2)(A) and
(d)'' and inserting ``subsection (d)'';
(ii) in subparagraph (A), by striking
``becomes available for such alien (or, in the
case of subsection (d), the date on which an
immigrant visa number became available for the
alien's parent),'' and inserting ``became
available for the alien's parent,''; and
(iii) in subparagraph (B), by striking
``applicable'';
(B) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:
``(2) Petitions described.--The petition described in this
paragraph is a petition filed under section 204 for
classification of the alien's parent under subsection (a), (b),
or (c).''; and
(C) in paragraph (3), by striking ``subsections
(a)(2)(A) and (d)'' and inserting ``subsection (d)''.
(3) Procedure for granting immigrant status.--Section 204
of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1154) is
amended--
(A) in subsection (a)(1)--
(i) in subparagraph (A)--
(I) in clause (i), by inserting
``or lawful permanent resident'' after
``citizen'';
(II) in clause (ii), by striking
``described in the second sentence of
section 201(b)(2)(A)(i) also'' and
inserting ``, alien child, or alien
parent described in section
201(b)(2)(A)'';
(III) in clause (iii)--
(aa) in subclause (I)(aa),
by inserting ``or legal
permanent resident'' after
``citizen''; and
(bb) in subclause
(II)(aa)--
(AA) in subitems
(AA) and (BB), by
inserting ``or legal
permanent resident;''
after ``citizen'' each
place that term
appears;
(BB) in subitem
(CC), by inserting ``or
legal permanent
resident'' after
``citizen'' each place
that term appears; and
(CC) in subitem