New Dems Push Bipartisan Border & Immigration Reform

Coalition unveils sweeping plan to secure border, expand visas, and create legal pathways for millions

By Tanja Kern, Senior Strategic Content Editor

exterior of the US Capitol Building — Image by Wenhan Cheng from Pixabay

The New Democrat Coalition's Immigration and Border Security Task Force unveiled a framework calling for bipartisan immigration reform that would secure the southern border while creating pathways to legal status for millions of undocumented immigrants, challenging Republicans to abandon what Democrats characterized as political gamesmanship on immigration ahead of negotiations.

The framework, released by Task Force Chair Greg Stanton of Arizona and Vice Chair Salud Carbajal of California, addresses 10 major areas of immigration policy reform. The proposal would significantly boost border security funding, requiring at least 22,000 full-time Border Patrol agents and adding 500 more CBP officers at ports of entry to combat fentanyl trafficking. The plan also calls for upgraded surveillance technology, improved infrastructure, and biometric monitoring at all ports of entry by 2030.

On the economic front, the framework would eliminate per-country caps for employment-based visas, create new temporary worker visa categories for industries facing labor shortages, and establish pathways for farmworkers to earn legal status. The proposal includes a "startup visa" program and would allocate 100,000 additional green cards annually for international graduates of U.S. colleges and universities.

For undocumented immigrants already in the country, the plan offers conditional pathways to legal status with strict requirements. Dreamers and Temporary Protected Status holders would receive expedited routes to permanent residency, while other undocumented immigrants present for more than five years could earn temporary legal status by paying fines, passing background checks, and meeting employment or education requirements.

The framework also proposes structural reforms to the asylum system, including transitioning immigration courts to an independent judiciary and establishing regional processing centers in Latin America where asylum-seekers could apply before making the dangerous journey to the U.S. border. New Democrats emphasized their willingness to negotiate while criticizing Republicans for rejecting previous bipartisan border security efforts for political reasons.

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Tanja Kern is the senior strategic content editor of Roofing Contractor. She brings more than 20 years of experience covering the construction and design industries through print and digital platforms.