**B Stands for Budget Bill**

Good afternoon,

The push for immigration reforms has lasted for decades, with lawmakers
and presidents on both sides of the aisle striving to enact commonsense,
humane immigration reforms through bipartisan compromise.

In recent weeks, many

Democrats

have proposed using a process called

**budget reconciliation** to enact a pathway to lawful status for
Dreamers, TPS holders and immigrants doing essential work in sectors
like agriculture. The recent DACA decision

from Judge Hanen in Texas, which ruled that the critical program is
unlawful, has increased the urgency for congressional action for
Dreamers in particular.

**So, what is budget reconciliation?**It is a process created by the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to fast-track urgent legislation that
pertains to government spending or revenue. While most legislation
requires 60 votes to override a filibuster and pass in the Senate, the
reconciliation process allows relevant legislation to pass with a simple
majority. There are a number of rules limiting its use, but
reconciliation has been used more and more frequently by both parties

to pass priority legislation.

**(For more details on this process, check out****this explainer**

**, courtesy of the Forum's Policy and Advocacy team.)**

**How does immigration legislation meet the criteria for budget
reconciliation?**This is an important, unanswered question. Any
legislation passed via reconciliation must directly affect government
spending or revenue in accordance with the Byrd Rule
. The
Senate parliamentarian

uses criteria outlined in the Byrd Rule to determine whether legislation
is appropriate for the budget reconciliation process. This decision will
basically hinge on how the parliamentarian believes that legalizing
immigrants would affect the federal budget.

The reconciliation process has its pros and cons. If immigration reforms
are passed via reconciliation, millions of immigrants will be provided
with a pathway to citizenship and, in turn, stability and security.
Moreover, our economy would benefit

from increased tax revenue and the creation of jobs. On the other hand,
we firmly believe that a bipartisan solution that reflects priorities
and has buy-in from Republicans and Democrats, will be more durable over
time.

Where this path leads continues to be uncertain, so if you'd like to
learn more about budget reconciliation and this unique opportunity to
advance better immigration policies, please tune into a live discussion
this Thursday, 7/29 at 5:30 PM ET between the Forum's President and
CEO, Ali Noorani, and Bill Kristol
, Director of
Defending Democracy Together and former Chief of Staff to Vice President
Dan Quayle. **Click here to sign up for a reminder or to join the event
live.**

****

Stay healthy and hopeful,

Adam

**Adam Estle**
Vice President of Field and Constituencies
National Immigration Forum 

**NEWS CLIPS TO NOTE:**

**WASHINGTON POST:**Opinion: How Democrats can protect the immigrants on
the pandemic's front lines

**NBC NEWS:** Biden administration officials fear lifting Covid
restrictions at border could trigger migrant surge

**POLITICO:**Hong Kong pro-democracy activists beg Congress for refugee
status

**REUTERS:** Biden authorizes $100 million in emergency funds for Afghan
refugees

**NPR:**Texas Begins Jailing Border Crossers On Trespassing Charges

 

Donate Now

 

**Follow Us**

 

[link removed]
[link removed]
[link removed]
[link removed]

 

 

 

The

**Only in America** podcast brings you to the people behind our
nation's immigration debate.

 

Listen now on:

 

**iTunes**
,
**Stitcher**
,
**Spotify** ,
and **more.**

 

 

National Immigration Forum

10 G Street NE, Suite 500

Washington, DC 20002

www.immigrationforum.org

 

Unsubscribe from BBB emails here.
Or opt-out from all Forum emails.

 

                                               
           
_________________

Sent to [email protected]

Unsubscribe:
[link removed]

National Immigration Forum, 10 G St NE, Suite 500, Washington, D.C. 20002, United States