Immigrants Awaiting US Green Cards Won’t Find Relief in Spending Package

Some 8 million would-be immigrants to the United States who would have received Green Cards as part of President Joe Biden’s spending package are disappointed by the Senate parliamentarian’s ruling that the expense cannot be part of the bill currently before Congress. The $3.5 trillion spending bill had been the lifeline for the Democrat-initiated immigration reform policy that is eschewed by Republicans. In order to avoid a threatened filibuster, Democrats hoped to fund it as part of the existing legislation. But Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough ruled that the immigration package amounts to “new” immigration policy which closes that avenue for the reform bill. “Changing the law to clear the way to [legal permanent resident] status is tremendous and enduring policy change that dwarfs its budgetary impact,” necessary for inclusion in the spending bill, she said in her ruling.