On 28 July, California Democrat Alex Padilla re-introduced his “Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929” bill, seeking to update the century-old Registry cut-off date with a rolling seven-year residency requirement. If passed, more than eight million undocumented or out-of-status residents—including tens of thousands of Indian H-1B holders stuck in green-card backlogs—could apply directly for lawful permanent residence. The proposal has support from Senate whip Dick Durbin and 30+ immigrant-rights groups but faces an uphill fight in a narrowly divided Senate. Why it matters to corporate India: US subsidiaries routinely lose senior managers whose H-1B renewals hit the six-year limit despite approved I-140s. A Registry update would give companies a retention tool and reduce pressure to rotate employees back to India under L-1 caps. Indian diaspora organisations plan a lobbying blitz in August, targeting senators from states with growing tech hubs. Employers are advised to track the bill and prepare data on high-skilled vacancies and economic impact to support advocacy efforts.
Source: India Today
