This bill grants Blanca Martinez eligibility to apply for permanent resident status in the United States, waiving certain inadmissibility and deportability grounds if she files within two years.
Seth Moulton
Representative
MA-6
This bill grants permanent resident status to Blanca Martinez by waiving certain standard immigration requirements. It allows her to apply for an immigrant visa or adjust her status, effectively clearing any past grounds for inadmissibility or deportation recorded before the law's enactment. All provisions are contingent upon her filing the necessary paperwork within two years of the bill becoming law.
Special Relief Bill Grants Blanca Martinez Permanent Residency, Overriding Standard Immigration Rules
This legislation is a private relief bill, which is essentially Congress stepping in to grant specific immigration status to one individual: Blanca Martinez. The bill, if enacted, allows Ms. Martinez to apply for an immigrant visa or adjust her status to become a lawful permanent resident, even if standard sections of the Immigration and Nationality Act would normally make her ineligible.
The Ultimate Mulligan: Wiping the Slate Clean
Think of this as a complete reset button for Ms. Martinez’s immigration record. The bill specifically states that she cannot be denied entry, removed, or found ineligible for permanent residency based on any grounds of inadmissibility or deportability recorded by Homeland Security or the State Department before this law passes. Furthermore, any existing removal or deportation orders against her must be canceled. This is a significant move, overriding the general rules laid out in the INA (specifically sections 212(a) and 237(a)) to grant her a clean slate and a pathway to legal status.
The Fine Print and the Clock
This isn't a permanent open door, though. Ms. Martinez has a strict deadline: she must file her application for the visa or adjustment of status, along with paying all required fees, within 2 years of the law being enacted. If she meets this deadline and all other requirements, she will be treated as having adjusted her status to a permanent resident on the day the law was enacted, giving her immediate stability.
Who Pays for the Visa?
Because immigration law operates on annual quotas, granting Ms. Martinez permanent residency requires a small adjustment to the system. The bill mandates that the total number of immigrant visas available to natives of her country will be reduced by one in the current or next fiscal year. While this is a technicality, it means one less visa slot is available for someone else from her native country.
No Family Pass
It’s crucial to note what this bill doesn't do. The legislation explicitly states that Ms. Martinez’s natural parents, brothers, and sisters will not receive any special rights, privileges, or status under immigration law just because she has been granted this relief. This means the benefit is strictly limited to Blanca Martinez and does not extend to her immediate family members seeking status through her.