U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, representing California, has introduced legislation aimed at facilitating the transition of undocumented immigrants to legal permanent residency, following an extensive month of immigration enforcement in the Los Angeles area and other parts of Southern California.
The proposed legislation seeks to update the Registry Bill, a component of the Immigration Act of 1929. This longstanding law permits the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to exercise discretion in registering certain individuals for lawful permanent resident status if they have resided in the United States since a designated date, among other criteria.
Originally enacted in 1929, the Registry Bill has seen four modifications by Congress, with the latest occurring during the Reagan administration in 1986. Since that time, the bill has not undergone significant changes.
According to Padilla’s office, under the current proposal, immigrants who have been residing in the U.S. since January 1, 1972, can apply for green cards. This new bill would expand eligibility to immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for seven years or longer, maintain a clean criminal record, and meet other existing eligibility requirements.
Padilla expressed his belief that there is a more compassionate path forward than the policies implemented during President Donald Trump’s administration, which he accuses of unfairly targeting hardworking immigrants and inciting fear in California communities.
He stated, “We believe that if you’ve lived here for over seven years, paid taxes for years, contributed to your community for years and you don’t have a criminal record, then you deserve a pathway to legalization.”
Additionally, Padilla emphasized that this amendment is overdue and would offer a critical route to work permits for over 8 million people, including Dreamers, essential workers, and holders of various visa categories.
The legislation has garnered support from several co-sponsors, including Senators Adam Schiff, Cory Booker, Tammy Duckworth, Ben Ray Lujan, Edward J. Markey, Elizabeth Warren, Chris Murphy, Patty Murray, Bernie Sanders, and Brian Schatz, all of whom are members of the Democratic Party.
Similar proposals have emerged from Senators Dick Durbin and Zoe Lofgren, the latter of whom has introduced a companion bill in the House of Representatives.
Angelica Salas, the executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights Los Angeles, joined Padilla during the announcement to emphasize the importance of family unity and the aspirations for a welcoming, multiracial democracy in America.
“We are loving human beings who fight to keep families together,” Salas stated. “We dream of a better tomorrow for future generations, and we believe in an America that is a multiracial democracy where we are all welcome.”
Moreover, Salas pointed out that numerous organizations nationwide are rallying behind the “We Belong Here” campaign to promote Padilla’s efforts.
In the midst of these legislative moves, Padilla, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, and other local Democrats have criticized the Trump administration’s stricter enforcement policies, claiming that federal efforts are disproportionately targeting individuals based on race.
White House representatives have pushed back against these claims, pointing to Trump’s earlier promises of mass deportations and the notably low rates of illegal immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border since his presidency began.
As federal agencies continue to share information about the criminal backgrounds of some detainees, tensions surrounding immigration policies have intensified.
Simultaneously, protests have erupted in downtown Los Angeles, with demonstrations scheduled to continue against the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement strategies.
The group RefuseFascism.org organized a March for Humanity, which began at La Placita Olvera and progressed past the federal Metropolitan Detention Center into East Los Angeles, culminating at Hollenbeck Park. Organizers framed the march as a protest against “our immigrant brothers and sisters … being hunted, disappeared into detention camps and terrorized by a lawless and grotesque federalized military force loyal only to Trump’s MAGA fascist regime.”
On Friday night, protesters blocked roads at the intersection of Aliso and Alameda streets near the Metropolitan Detention Center, prompting the Los Angeles Police Department to advise drivers to find alternate routes.
The area was cleared shortly after 1 a.m. on Saturday, but prior to that, at least one injury and four arrests occurred in clashes between demonstrators and police. Law enforcement received requests for assistance from federal officers as a large group assembled in the vicinity.
The LAPD reported officers were met with resistance as they arrived on the scene, with some individuals attempting to use weapons against them.
Arrests were made on various charges, including assault with a deadly weapon and resisting arrest. After the protests concluded and the crowd dispersed, an ambulance was requested for an injured individual at the detention center, although details regarding the person’s condition remained unclear.
These recent protests began on Wednesday night when National Guard troops were deployed to assist with immigration enforcement operations in Los Angeles.
In a climate of heightened activism and legislative efforts, the ongoing developments reflect the complex intersection of immigration policies, community values, and the broader societal push for human rights.
image source from：heysocal
