IMMIGRATION DEAL REACHED 

As a result of intensive negotiations, the White House and Republican leadership appear to have reached agreement on several outstanding immigration issues which will be included in the final budget package that Congress is expected to vote on shortly, and the President is expected to sign into law. 

AILA is pleased that the agreement (called the Legal Immigration and Family Equity Act -- LIFE) will provide relief to hundreds of thousands of people, but is strongly critical of the absence in this deal of NACARA Parity, updating the registry date, and any due process reforms. We also believe that Section 245(i) should have been permanently restored, not grandfathered for four months. (Go to AILA InfoNet for our press release for a discussion of the deal. Check InfoNet shortly for a more detailed summary of the provisions noted below.) Measures included in the deal are: 

1. Section 245(i) grandfathered until April 30, 2001. Applicants must prove they were physically present in the U.S. on the date of enactment of LIFE. 

2. New temporary "V" visa created for the spouses and minor children of legal permanent residents in the backlog for three years or more. Recipients of this visa would be protected from deportation, and granted work authorization. 

3. New temporary "K" status created for spouses of U.S. citizens. This provision expands the use of the "K" visa to allow these spouses who married U.S. citizens abroad (and their minor children) and are awaiting approval of their green card applications to enter the U.S. Like current K visa holders, these "K" visa holders would be granted work authorization. 

4. Opportunity to apply for adjustment for certain late legalization class members (CSS v. Meese, LULAC v. Reno, and INS v. Zambrano) who meet the new measure's qualifications. 

5. Protection from deportation and work authorization granted to the spouses and minor children of late legalization applicants.