US cuts congressional bill deportation delays for immigrants
LOS ANGELES — U.S. authorities have said they are reducing the amount of time they will delay deporting the few immigrants in the country illegally awaiting congressional decisions to legalize their immigration status after lawmakers file so-called “private bills” supporting their last-ditch bids to remain in the country.
In a letter to lawmakers, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Acting Director Thomas Homan said the agency will only hold off deporting immigrants with legislation pending on their behalf for up to six months with the possibility of one 90-day extension.
In the past, authorities held off deporting people much longer, in some cases years, while these bills wound through one or more sessions of Congress.
In addition, the agency said congressional leaders of the judiciary committees or key subcommittees must now formally ask authorities to delay carrying out deportations, Homan wrote in the letter late last week.