The midterm elections are extraordinarily important this time around. For a variety of reasons, not the least of which being immigration reform, it is very important that the Democrats win the House this year. The Republican controlled House of Representatives has approached immigration with an eye on enforcement only. The more balanced and thoughtful Senate has proposed a more comprehensive immigration initiative. Should the Democrats end up with a majority of seats in the House it is very likely that they will agree with their colleagues in the Senate that a more comprehensive immigration plan is better for the country. This would probably mean that many undocumented individuals and families would be able to start on the path to permanent residency and then citizenship. The basic hurdles are likely to be time spent in the US, good moral character issues, and security issues. It’s important that undocumented individuals be prepared to show how long they have been in the United States using whatever means they have necessary. It would be smart to start the process of collecting documentation showing residence and family ties now in anticipation of the Democrats taking the House this fall as there is no telling what sort of application deadlines the Congress will set to take advantage of whatever relief they offer.
