The journey of H.R.1044/S.386 through the Senate hit another roadblock as S.2603, the Resolving Extended Limbo for Immigrant Employees and Families (RELIEF) Act, was brought up for a vote by unanimous consent. At least one senator objected, blocking the unanimous consent fast-track and stalling both bills for the time being. A unanimous consent vote on H.R.1044/S.386 was originally expected to be held on Thursday, October 17th.

The RELIEF Act was introduced to address the massive green card backlog, with the goal of eliminating the backlog over five years. Building on S.744, the 2013 bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform bill, the bill would clarify spouses and children of Legal Permanent Residents as immediate relatives and exempt “derivative beneficiaries” of employment-based petitions from the annual caps that contribute to the backlog. It would also protect children who qualify based on a parent’s petition from “aging out” while waiting for approval, helping to keep families together.

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