Esty Co-Sponsors Comprehensive Immigration Bill

Press Release

Congresswoman Elizabeth (CT-5) has joined 120 colleagues as an original co-sponsor of H.R. 15, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act. H.R. 15, a comprehensive immigration reform bill that was introduced yesterday. Largely mirroring the bipartisan Senate-passed bill and designed to receive bipartisan support in the House, H.R. 15 contains important provisions to secure our borders, create an earned path to citizenship for hard-working immigrants, keep families together and protect workers.

"This bill is a chance to achieve bipartisan support and finally move forward with the comprehensive immigration reform our nation needs. We have a historic opportunity to fix a badly broken immigration system and create a much fairer, more humane system that works for everyone," Esty said. "This is an opportunity to give businesses certainty and strengthen local communities. More importantly, this is an opportunity to live up to our shared values as Americans. I urge House leaders to allow H.R. 15 to be brought to the House floor for debate, so we can enact comprehensive immigration reform this year."

To secure our borders, H.R. 15 contains the provisions of the bipartisan McCaul-Thompson border security bill that received unanimous approval from the House Homeland Security Committee. H.R. 15 also contains the provisions from the bipartisan Senate-passed bill that creates an earned pathway to citizenship for hardworking immigrants, unites families, and protects workers. It also contains the provisions from the bipartisan Senate-passed bill that reform visa programs and interior enforcement.

The Senate bill was passed by the Senate with bipartisan support in June but has not been brought up for a vote by the House. Passing H.R. 15 would allow the House and Senate to negotiate on a comprehensive immigration bill.

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