# Plain Language Summary: Reentry and Reunification Act

This bill would allow certain immigrants who were previously deported or are currently facing deportation to get permanent legal status in the United States if they have a spouse or parent who is a U.S. citizen. Essentially, it creates a pathway for family reunification by letting the Department of Homeland Security grant green cards (permanent resident status) to people who would normally be barred from entering or staying in the country due to immigration violations.

To qualify, an applicant would need to meet several conditions. They must be married to or be the parent of a U.S. citizen, must have been deported before the bill was enacted or currently be in removal proceedings, and must demonstrate good moral character since they first entered the United States. The bill also requires that they haven't committed serious crimes—though minor traffic violations and immigration-related offenses don't count against them. People who are currently in removal proceedings would need to have lived continuously in the U.S. for at least four years before the bill's enactment date. There's a three-year window from when the bill passes for people to apply for this status.

The bill includes some flexibility through a waiver provision, allowing the Secretary of Homeland Security to overlook certain criminal convictions or immigration violations if doing so would keep families together or serve the public interest. Additionally, the bill specifies that brief trips outside the U.S. won't disqualify someone if they can show they had a good reason for leaving, like a serious illness. Unlike most immigration benefits, there's no cap on how many people can receive this status—it's available to anyone who meets the requirements.

Reentry and Reunification Act

Green, Al

Reentry and Reunification Act This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to admit certain aliens for lawful permanent residence if the alien is the spouse, parent, or guardian of a U.S. citizen. Qualifying aliens shall be those who were removed from the United States before the bill's enactment, or are subject to a removal order or in removal proceedings on the bill's enactment date. A qualifying alien shall also (1) be of good moral character; (2) not be deportable or inadmissible for various grounds, including those related to health or having been convicted of certain crimes; (3) not have participated in the persecution of any person on account of characteristics such as race, religion, or nationality; and (4) not have been convicted for certain crimes under federal or state law where the maximum sentence was more than one year. DHS may waive the requirement relating to a conviction for a state or federal crime and other specified requirements for humanitarian, family unity, or public interest purposes. For an alien subject to a removal order or under removal proceedings, the alien must have been continuously physically present in the United States for the four years before the bill's enactment date.