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Immigration

The United States is a nation of immigrants past and immigrants present. For 247 years, immigrants have made this great country what it is today.  As a proud descendant of Portuguese immigrants, Costa's family values and heritage from the Azores have never been far from my heart. The story of his family and many others is part of the American story.

Unfortunately, our immigration system is broken and in critical need of reform. Far too many families have been broken apart, and millions continue to live in the shadows in fear. Since being elected to Congress, immigration has been a top priority for Congressman Costa. That is why, he is advocating for policies to fix our broken immigration system that would keep families together, secure our border, and improve the process to an earned pathway to citizenship. Continuing the status quo is unacceptable - Congress must act now. The American people – including our immigrant communities deserve no less.

 

Fixing our Broken Immigration System:

  • Protecting Dreamers: Costa is proud to be. a strong supporter of Dreamers and an original co-sponsor of the American Dream and Promise Act, which would protect Dreamers, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) holders by providing them a pathway to citizenship. 

  • H-2A VISA Reform: In 2019, Costa helped craft and introduce the bipartisan Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which would reform the H-2A program and provide farmworkers a pathway to legal status. It’s the first agriculture labor reform legislation to pass the House of Representatives since 1986. This legislation passed the House in 2019 and 2021 and has been reintroduced and is being co-lead by Costa in the 118th Congress (2023). 

  • E-1 and E-2 VISA Reform: Costa co-led the Advancing Mutual Interests and Growing our Success (AMIGOS) Act, which was signed into law by President Biden in 2022. This law grants Portuguese citizens eligibility for E-1 and E-2 Visas to enter the United States to conduct "substantial trade" or invest a "substantial amount of capital" respectively.

  • Enhancing Border Security: Costa supports strong border security and ensures we find solutions to solve problems at the Southwest Border. Instead of building a wall, he believes in enhancing border technology, modernizing lands ports of entry, and security infrastructure to better respond to evolving threats like drug and human trafficking, smuggling, and other dangerous illegal activity. He has voted for measures to enhance funding for these purposes in previous federal budgets that have also helped bolster the workforce and resources. 

  • Improving an Earned Pathway to Citizenship: Costa a cosponsor of the U.S. Citizenship Act would fix our broken immigration system by responsibly managing and securing our border, creating an earned roadmap to citizenship, keeping families together, and better-managing migration across the Western Hemisphere.

  • Updating the Registry Status: Costa is a cosponsor of the Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929, which would update the existing status adjustment process in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), better known as the registry.

If you have experienced difficulties with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), or a U.S. Embassy abroad, my staff may be able to help. Click HERE to contact us and submit your inquiry.