Immigrant Survivors of 9/11 Victims Receive Temporary Legal Status

Today, it is being reported that undocumented immigrant survivors of 9/11 victims will receive temporary legal status. According to the article, most of these survivors are either spouses or children of the victims.

Since 9/11, the survivors have been in hiding for fear of deportation. Because their lives and loved ones are here in the United States, the decision they made to remain in the shadows was the only choice they had. The granting of temporary legal status changes all that.

A potential future outcome to today's decision is that it will clear the way for Congress to move forward on bills that will grant permanent legal status to the immigrants. Last year, Congressman Peter King (R-New York) and Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-New York) introduced a bill that would grant permanent resident visa's to the survivors.

Congressional Republicans blocked the legislation because the identities of the undocumented immigrant survivors were kept confidential for fear of deportation. Under the conditions of temporary legal status, the survivors will now need to come forward and give their names. With that condition met, Congressional Republicans will no longer have the excuse to deny permanent status to the survivors.

For more on this story, please link here.

Posted in: 9/11 Survivors,Immigration,Legal Status