Senator Padilla unveils bill to grant green cards after seven years of residence

In a Los Angeles event, Senator Alex Padilla presented a bill to modernize the Registry clause of the Immigration and Nationality Act, allowing immigrants who have lived continuously in the U.S. for at least seven years, paid taxes and have no criminal history to seek lawful permanent residency. The legislation would replace the current fixed cutoff date, which has remained unchanged since 1986, with a moving seven-year benchmark, eliminating the need for periodic congressional revisions.

Padilla estimates the plan could benefit over eight million people, ranging from Dreamers and TPS recipients to children of long-term visa holders and essential workers awaiting employment-based visas. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin endorsed the bill, calling it a sensible fix for an antiquated immigration framework. The measure seeks to expand an existing legal pathway rather than create a new program, aiming to provide certainty for contributors to American society.