Special Immigration Bill Grants Permanent Residence to Ingrid Encalada Latorre, Overriding Standard Visa Rules

If you’ve ever tried to navigate the immigration system, you know it’s a maze of forms, deadlines, and rules that can feel impossible to overcome. This bill, however, cuts through all that for one specific person. It’s a private immigration bill, which means it’s designed solely for Ingrid Encalada Latorre, granting her a direct path to lawful permanent resident status (a green card) in the United States.

This legislation is essentially a legislative override. It states that Ms. Latorre is eligible for an immigrant visa or to adjust her status to permanent resident, notwithstanding the standard rules found in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). For the purpose of this bill, if she is currently in the U.S. when the law is enacted, she will be considered to have entered and remained lawfully, which is a massive hurdle cleared for anyone seeking status adjustment.

The Legal Lifeline

The most significant part of this bill is the protection it offers. The legislation explicitly shields Ms. Latorre from being removed, denied admission, or deemed ineligible for permanent residence based on any ground for removal or denial that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or the State Department has recorded up to the date this Act becomes law. This protection is sweeping, overriding sections 212(a) and 237(a) of the INA, which cover various grounds of inadmissibility and deportability.

Think of it like this: the government is essentially wiping the slate clean regarding any past immigration violations or issues recorded against her. Furthermore, the Secretary of Homeland Security is required to cancel any existing removal or deportation orders previously issued against her based on those same grounds. This means immediate relief from the constant threat of deportation.

The Fine Print and the Clock

While this bill grants eligibility, it doesn't automatically hand over the green card. Ms. Latorre still needs to file the necessary application and pay all the required fees, just like any other applicant. Crucially, she only has a two-year window from the date the Act is enacted to submit this application. If she misses that deadline, the special provisions of this bill expire, and she’d be back to navigating the standard, much more difficult, immigration landscape.

The Count and the Country

There is one small administrative ripple effect that impacts the broader immigration system. When Ms. Latorre is granted permanent residence, the Secretary of State must reduce the total number of immigrant visas available to natives of her country of birth by one. This is a standard requirement for private bills that grant permanent residence, ensuring that the total number of visas allocated worldwide remains balanced. For the individual receiving the relief, it’s a monumental change; for the country of birth, it’s a reduction of a single visa slot in the overall allocation.