The Presidents’ Alliance Reacts to New Bipartisan Immigration Legislation Introduced in U.S. House

For Immediate Release: May 23, 2023
Contact: Diego Sánchez, Diego@presidentsalliance.org 

The Presidents’ Alliance Reacts to New Bipartisan Immigration Legislation Introduced in U.S. House

Bill contains critical reforms for undocumented and international students 

Washington, D.C. – The following is a statement from Miriam Feldblum, Executive Director and Co-Founder of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration. 

“We applaud Representatives María Elvira Salazar (R-Fla) and Veronica Escobar (D-Texas) for introducing substantive bipartisan legislation to modernize our immigration system through critical reforms and compromise.   The 500+ page bill addresses many of the legislative principles outlined by the Presidents’ Alliance at the beginning of the last Congress. 

This bipartisan approach would strengthen our economy and enable undocumented students, DACA recipients, and TPS holders, to flourish as full participants and contributors to communities and our nation. The language closely mirrors the language of the Dream and Promise Act. The Presidents’ Alliance is fully committed to achieving a legislative solution for our Dreamers who are integral members of our campuses and communities. 

The legislation also modernizes immigration law for international students by surging resources for visa services, expanding dual intent for F-1 visa applicants, and improving the green card system for applicants and their families.  International students enrich our campuses and communities; when applying for a visa, they should be allowed to express interest in staying and working in this country after graduation. Our system should also make green cards more available, which this legislation does, to ensure our institutions of higher education remain magnets for the world’s talent. This legislation fixes outdated immigration provisions that limited the ability of our higher education institutions and businesses to support international students through pathways to stay and work in this country.

While there remain questions about the legislative path forward, and there are some provisions we would not support if introduced as standalone elements, the legislative package unveiled today represents a serious and substantive effort at forging a long overdue compromise and displays a commitment to reform worth applauding. We appreciate the co-sponsors’ leadership and we call on fellow lawmakers of both parties to work toward immigration solutions that our country desperately needs.”

RESOURCES

• Presidents’ Alliance Legislative Principles: The Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration urges Members of Congress to support Dreamers; undocumented and other long-residing immigrant students; international students and scholars; their families; and refugees and other immigrants who contribute to our nation’s higher education campuses.
• Presidents’ Alliance March 2021 statement on Dream and Promise Act. 
• April 2023 Fact Sheet: Immigrant, International, & Refugee Students in Higher Ed: Did You Know?
• The Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration: ten policy actions the Biden Administration can take on immigrant, international, and refugee students: “Administrative Agenda for Immigration and Higher Education”
• Jill on the Hill: decision time – International Student Choices will Shape the Nation’s Future

###

The nonpartisan, nonprofit Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration brings college and university presidents and chancellors together on the immigration issues that impact higher education, our students, campuses, communities and nation. We work to advance just immigration policies and practices at the federal, state, and campus level that are consistent with our heritage as a nation of immigrants and the academic values of equity and openness. The Alliance is composed of over 500 presidents and chancellors of public and private colleges and universities, enrolling over five million students in 43 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico.