Immigration Reform Talks Stalled by Syria Intervention Debate

September 4, 2013: Comprehensive immigration reform talks came to somewhat of a standstill amid talks of missile strikes and intervention in Syria. August was a busy month for advocates of immigration reform with ads and town hall meetings occurring nationwide. But as Congress prepares to end their summer recess, the hot debate in Washington is whether the United States should launch cruise missiles against the Syrian regime, led by Bashar Al Assad, in response to the purported use of chemical weapons. With committee meetings taking place in both the House and Senate, talk of immigration reform has come to a near halt. Adding to the quandary, Congress will also engage in fierce debate over  the budget and certain provisions allocated to fund the Affordable Care Act, colloquially known as "Obamacare".

So what does this mean for comprehensive immigration reform? Well a delay is obvious. What some pundits thought might be a Thanksgiving passage of some type of reform, is now looking like December or even early 2014. Immigration reform activists are likely scratching their heads over Syria, after an arguably successful August in which more Republican house members indicated their support for comprehensive immigration reform. I believe that the Syrian crisis, if mismanaged or if an attack leads to wider regional implications, could have the effect of derailing immigration reform, which (August aside) was facing an already uphill battle from House Republicans accusing the bill of providing "amnesty to illegals".

So as has been said here many times before, do not rely on any expectations of there being comprehensive (or even piecemeal) immigration reform. If you are facing an immigration matter that involves waivers of inadmissibility, deportation or removal, or are willing to sponsor loved ones (remember, the Senate bill eliminates the "brother/sister category" for green cards) who wish to immigrate to the United States, an Orange County Immigration Attorney can provide you with the best possible assistance to see that your immigration case sees a successful resolution. To learn more about immigration matters, visit www.kpimmigrationlaw.com or call 949-440-3240.