Family Reunification Act of 2019

Family Reunification Act of 2019

This bill revives an expired program that allows qualified aliens with certain familial or employment ties to the United States to apply for lawful permanent resident status. The deadline for applying for such status shall be five years after the enactment of this bill, where the deadline under current law was April 30, 2001. (Generally, a qualifying alien under the program must be one who (1) entered the United States without inspection or falls into other specified categories, (2) is the beneficiary of a petition for lawful permanent status based on family sponsorship or for performing certain labor where there are not sufficient workers available for such labor, and (3) was physically present in the United States on December 21, 2000.)

The bill also prohibits the removal of an alien who (1) has a pending petition for lawful permanent status based on being the spouse or child of a U.S. citizen, and (2) is prima facie eligible for lawful permanent status.