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Bowing to the sentiments of several Congressional leaders and President George W Bush, the Immigration and Naturalization Service is now backing a visa deadline extension.
The announcement on May 9 came after persistent complaints from pro-immigration advocates and members of Congress such as Senator Edward Kennedy (D-Massachusetts) that over 200,000 illegal immigrants missed the April 30 deadline.
Several influential Republican lawmakers, including Congressman Peter King (NY) are backing an extension.
Religious organizations like the National Conference of Catholic Bishops's Office of Migration and Refugee Policy is also asking for an extension of at least six months.
At least 640,000 people, who had either relatives in America or found companies that would sponsor them, were expected to file their papers by the deadline. Unlike under usual circumstances, they did not have to return to their home countries to apply for visas.
INS acting commissioner Kevin Rooney told a congressional subcommittee on Wednesday that his agency suggested an additional six months to a year extension.
Bush had written to lawmakers last week, expressing concern that many illegal immigrants did not have enough time to meet the deadline.
He said the Legal Immigration and Family Equity Act that had allowed illegal immigrants to apply for work permits by April 30, while remaining in America, was important for family unity.
If the immigrants returned to their countries, they may have to wait for many years before they got visas.
"It remains in the national interest to legitimize resident immigrants eligible for legal status and to welcome them as full participants of society," Bush wrote.
"But we will only be able to do this if the path to legalization encourages family reunification."
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