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H.R. 4885: Comprehensive Immigration Fairness Act

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H.R. 4885: Comprehensive Immigration Fairness Act

108th Congress · introduced 2004-07-21 · Immigration · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2004-07-21 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Jackson-Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Comprehensive Immigration Fairness Act

Plain summary

Comprehensive Immigration Fairness Act - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to make permanently available the exception to the adjustment of status bar for beneficiaries of family petitions or labor certification applications. Adds grounds for discretionary waiver of inadmissibility. Authorizes K nonimmigrant status for specified family members of lawful permanent residents (LPRs) and additional family members of U.S. citizens who are awaiting immigrant visas. Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) to disregard as aggravated felonies (with immigration consequences) certain criminal convictions. Provides that a person who is a child on the last day of the 90-day period after a pending application for INA benefits is filed shall be considered to be a child for all purposes related to such application. Clarifies that the term "child" includes children for whom adoption proceedings were initiated prior to specified ages. Authorizes the Secretary to waive certain bars to admission. Establishes a program for earned access to legalization. Authorizes the adjustment of status of certain undocumented children. Amends the registry provision. Expands the list of unfair immigration-related employment practices. Requires petitioners for nonimmigrant workers to file affidavits describing efforts to recruit U.S. citizens or LPRs. Doubles the numerical cap on worldwide diversity immigrant visas. Provides for adjustment of status of certain Haitian nationals. Eliminates mandatory detention in asylum seekers' expedited removal proceedings. Amends the Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act of 1998 to remove document fraud as a ground of inadmissibility and to address child-related determinations. Provides for adjustment of status of certain Liberian nationals. Modifies requirements applicable to asylum and refugee proceedings. Authorizes adjustment of status for certain recipients of temporary protected status. Repeals a provision in the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 that bars Federal, State, and local governments from preventing the communication of immigration status information to the Department of Homeland Security. Repeals a provision of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 concerning verification of eligibility for Federal public benefits. Eliminates statutory authority permitting State personnel to carry out immigration officer functions.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Comprehensive Immigration Fairness Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

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Arguments against (opponents)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Jackson-Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18] · 29 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Maxine Waters (D-CA), Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), Linda T. Sánchez (D-CA)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)
Securities
Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.
Statute
A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong108-hr4885 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong108 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong108