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SUPPORT 2021 - Bill HR 3648 - EAGLE Act (Equal Access to Green cards for Legal Employment) on Per Country Caps Removal

DEAR REPRESENTATIVES OF OUR COUNTRY - USA, reminder: "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Greetings!

Introduction: On 6/1/21, Representatives Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), John Curtis (R-UT), and 18 bipartisan members introduced the Equal Access to Green cards for Legal Employment (EAGLE) Act of 2021 (H.R. 3648), which would among other things phase out the per-country numerical limitation for employment-based immigrants and increase the per-country numerical limitation for family-sponsored immigrants from 7 percent to 15 percent (Full Text: https://lofgren.house.gov/sites/lofgren.house.gov/files/EAGLE%20Act%20Final%20Bill%20Text.pdf - To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate the per-country numerical limitation for employment-based immigrants, to increase the per-country numerical limitation for family-sponsored immigrants, and for other purposes.)

Please SUPPORT EAGLE Act on Per Country Caps Removal HR 3648. The bill which treats LEGAL immigrants/non-immigrants EQUAL and gives needed JUSTICE. Every day, the entire Green Card Backlog community is suffering and lives in FEAR and spending crucial years of their professional and personal lives in a state of uncertainty and instability.

While there are numerous issues that constantly hound those in the long line to Green Card, here are a major concerns which affects health at much early age:

Issue #1:
FEAR of Losing everything earned in lifetime: It is no secret that the Green Card Backlog community legally arrived in the USA with or without their families and were instrumental in building Silicon Valley with their technical expertise. Many helped the United States constantly advance in terms of technology, scientific researches, medicinal breakthroughs and in fields of future such as - Artificial Intelligence. These individuals have already undergone stringent personal and professional background checks and got their visa approved to live and work in the country decades ago. They arrived legally and are law-abiding and amongst the highest and diligent taxpayers in the U.S. This community is peacefully waiting for Green Card and calls America their HOME too. They continuously fall in visa extension cycle to prove they are best fit for position hence in constant fear of visa denials and maintenance of visa status which leads to scary dreams of losing everything earned in lifetime.

Issue #2:
FEAR of their own kids turning 21: Kids born outside USA and currently on various visa including H4 visa live in a state of FEAR. On their 21st birthday, they MUST change visa status or self-deport from the U.S. – the country the kids have known as home since they were young. These Legal dreamers cannot earn any internship or earn a single dollar. They cannot enroll themselves in the field of studies of their own choice. Today these Legal Dreamers focus more on immigration than studies. The reason why these youngsters are in a state of anxiety is because their parents are stuck in a green card backlog. One of the major milestones in the lives of these kids can herald is family separation. Trust me, they don't celebrate their 21st birthday instead that day SCARES the entire family big time.

Issue #3:
FEAR of losing EAD card for H4 visa Spouses: Certain category H4 visa spouses who have employment authorization card [EAD] are either employed or are running their own business and are paying taxes. H4-EAD rule was approved in 2015, many of these individuals have made great strides in their career or have created employment for many locals through their entrepreneurship qualities. either employed or are running their own business. But currently as H4-EAD cards are not issued or renewed on time [processing time being 3-8 months] these employed H4-EAD communities are getting terminated from their jobs due to work permit expiration. At the same time, they also constantly live with the threat of their H4-EAD card rule getting revoked or cancelled anytime soon. H4-EAD holders are mentioned in the Federal Registry as a minority community and it does not affect the US-labor market at all. Note: NO e-renewal services are applicable to H4 visa holders as well.

Issue #4:
FEAR to visit Home country in emergency or during moments of joy: In case H1B/H4 passport visa stamping/Consular Processing is needed nowadays its being delayed for months due to non-available, US embassy Visa appointments dates and/or if the case goes into Administrative processing i.e. 221G slips are issued, then it’s a never-ending wait-time for the process. Many professionals living and working legally cannot even travel for any family or self-emergencies issues or even at the time of an unfortunate circumstance like death in the family -- all due to the FEAR of not being able to return back home in the USA. At times crossing borders of the USA is leading to selling HOME and assets here in the USA, which is frustrating and unfortunate.

Issue #5:
FEAR of Losing Driving License during work visa extension: if visa applications are under pending process with USCIS, and the driving license expires during the visa extension periods, many states do not renew/issue a new one. This situation can have a deep impact on daily routine and affect day to day activities like commuting to job, dropping kids to school during bad weather or weekly grocery runs. These petty things can turn life upside down and it becomes very difficult to explain immigration-borne problems to innocent kids.

Issue #6:
Fear of death being in GCBacklog line: Dependents H-4 status terminates once the husband (H-1B visa holder) dies. In theory, the spouse and child must leave immediately. This is so unfair to the taxpaying and law-abiding legal immigrant community. Despite living in America for years and having stable jobs, the uncertain maintenance visa status leads to FEAR, stress and emotional as well as health based issues. Recently, there have been alarming reports of early and sudden deaths.

Issue #7:
Green Card is based on Country/Place of birth and not on the Nationality or Country of Citizenship, facing the longest wait times for employment-based green cards. Bill HR 3648 - EAGLE ACT helps remove the country-limit quota and serves every Green Card applicant equal on first come first serve basis.

Currently despite spending decades in the U.S. their future stability is in jeopardy with increased levels of daily depression, we urge that all of you SUPPORT HR 3648, a bill which ends FEAR to survive for all the Legal immigrants, their spouses and aging-out kids.

We hope the lawmakers and Senators UNITE to help fix the outdated U.S. immigration system. As a resident of the world's’ superpower country, we do wish to request you to shower your blessings and make a small but much needed vote -- to consider the grave problems faced by the green card backlogs community.

After all "GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE" for a democracy to function it is essential that a government respects the people and takes them seriously, not only those that have voted or will be voting but all the people. PLEASE SUPPORT HR 3648 (EAGLE ACT), for JUSTICE & EQUALITY.

Regards,
BENEFICIARIES & SUPPORTERS of HR 3648: #SAVEUSAsLegalimmigrantstoo

**Please Note: Original Text of this petition to Support S386/HR1044 updated with new number HR 3648 EAGLE ACT, the number & name of bill is changed but the #GCBACKLOG community issues still remain the same as mentioned above. Thank you for all the considerations and support to fix the immigration system.**