Bill would halt deportations of 15,000 Southeast Asian long-term residents

What does this do?

HR 7608 would prohibit the U.S. government from deporting or detaining people from Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam who entered the United States on or before January 1, 2008, and have lived here continuously since then, even if they already have a deportation order. Qualifying individuals would be eligible for work permits, and those required to check in with immigration officers would do so virtually, once every five years. People from those three countries who were deported on or after April 24, 1996, could ask to have their cases reopened, and if they qualify, their deportation orders would be canceled and they would be treated legally as if the deportation never happened.

Who does it affect?

The bill directly affects an estimated 15,000 long-term U.S. residents of Cambodian, Laotian, and Vietnamese origin who currently have final deportation orders, many of whom came as refugees fleeing war and genocide and arrived as children. It also affects individuals from those countries who have already been deported and may seek to return to have their cases reconsidered.

Why does it matter?

If enacted, thousands of people with existing deportation orders would be shielded from removal and gain access to work authorization, altering the legal status of cases that are currently considered final. Those already deported could have their removal legally nullified, potentially making them eligible for additional immigration benefits they did not previously qualify for.

What does it cost, and who pays?

• U.S. govt pays return travel costs
• For previously deported individuals
• To allow cases to be reheard

Where does it stand?