Jim Sensenbrenner: “Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1209, the Child Status Protection Act of 2001, was introduced by the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr.…”

“Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1209, the Child Status Protection Act of 2001, was introduced by the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Gekas), the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims, and the ranking member, the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee). This bill is another example of Congress having to clean up a mess made by the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Under current law, aliens residing in the United States who are eligible for permanent resident status must adjust their status with the INS. However, INS processing delays have caused up to a 3-year wait for adjustment. For alien children of U.S. citizens, this delay in processing can have serious consequences, for once they turn 21 years of age, they lose their immediate relative status. An unlimited number of immediate relatives of U.S. citizens can receive green cards each year. However, there are a limited number of green cards available for the adult children of U.S. citizens. If a U.S. citizen parent petitions for a green card for a child before that child turns 21, but the INS does not get around to processing the adjustment of status application until after the child turns 21, the family is out of luck. The child goes to the end of the waiting list. The child is being punished because of the INS ineptitude, and that is not right.”