Rep. Chu Reintroduces Reuniting Families Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28), Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), reintroduced the Reuniting Families Act, a landmark bill grounded in protecting families and containing common-sense fixes to a family immigration system that has seen no reforms in more than 30 years. 

Last introduced in 2019, the Reuniting Families Act will help almost 4 million people caught in family immigration backlogs, some of whom have waited more than a decade, to reunite with family members.

“Family-based immigration is an American value and contributes to the economic prosperity and resilience of our nation, but our broken immigration system forces almost 4 million people with approved green card applications to suffer in bureaucracy for years, if not decades,” said Rep. Chu. “My common-sense Reuniting Families Act, with provisions now incorporated into bipartisan legislation, would fix these problems and finally allow our neighbors working to achieve their American dream to have their most essential support network at their side, here.”

Among other sensible measures, the Reuniting Families Act will: 

• More than double number of available family preference visas 
• Raise existing per-country yearly visa limits, so the wait is not so long for countries with high levels of migration
• Set an absolute time limit on visa processing, so no applicant has to wait more than 10 years for a visa if they have an approved application

Asian Americans Advancing Justice, an affiliation of five independent civil rights organizations, published the following statement: “Whether we moved here recently or many years ago, most of us strive to put down roots, build community, and give our families a good life. For generations, some politicians have turned away from common sense solutions and used arbitrary rules and a wasteful bureaucracy to divide and distract our communities. With the Reuniting Families Act, we show that all families have the right to be together. We applaud Rep. Judy Chu for reintroducing an important bill that will reunite parents, permanent partners, spouses, and children, while honoring our values.”

“No one should have to wait decades to hug a parent or sibling because of paperwork backlogs,” said Alaide Vilchis Ibarra, campaign director at Value Our Families. “We uphold family unity as one of this country’s foundational values, and we look to this legislation to ensure that everyone thrives in this country.”

“In the aftermath of war and genocide in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, many Southeast Asian American families were separated in their escape to safety,” said Quyen Dinh, Executive Director of SEARAC. “Today, too many of our community members have not been able to see their loved ones for decades because of a backlogged family immigration system, and many SEAAs still live with the constant fear of being torn apart from their families because of the limited relief available to them from unjust removal orders. The Reuniting Families Act would ensure that SEAA families are made whole again and make the US immigration system more humane for countless families that simply want to live with and care for their loved ones.”

“Because of long family preference backlogs, I have been separated from my family for seven years,” said Daishi Miguel-Tanaka, legislative manager at The Immigration Hub. “My parents had to stay thousands of miles away for birthdays, Christmas mornings, and my college graduation. The American dream is for dreaming together, not alone; it should be shared with family. It’s clear our immigration system is long overdue for reform, and Congresswoman Chu’s legislation is a step in the right direction.”

“Too many life events can happen in 10 to 20 years in a family torn apart by our inefficient and cruel immigration system, including devastating losses and missed rites of passage,” said Angelica Salas, executive director for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA). “The Reuniting Families Act, introduced by a true people's champion, Rep. Judy Chu, recognizes that paper backlogs can be solved but that people's lives cannot be redone once something dramatic has taken place during decades of separation. We support this legislation as we support the recognition that immigrants are human beings who contribute and make our nation rich and strong.”

“Families should not be punished for the failings of our bureaucracy,” said African Communities Together Policy Director Diana Konaté. “We welcome the reintroduction of the Reuniting Families Act. As an organization dedicated to serving African immigrants, we have witnessed the painful outcomes that immigration backlogs create. This bill is not about political games. It is about giving millions of people that opportunity to have peace of mind and finally live their lives in the U.S. with their family by their side.”

Click here for the full bill text.

Click here for a one-pager on the bill.

Click here for a section-by-section of the bill.