The following is a statement from Association of American Universities President Barbara R. Snyder:
The U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 would provide long overdue, and desperately needed, reform of our nation’s immigration system. We applaud Sen. Menendez and Rep. Sanchez for their leadership on this legislation and look forward to working with them as the legislation moves forward. The bill includes sweeping reforms such as an expedited pathway to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients. The measure also contains provisions to: help clear employment-based visa backlogs; recapture unused visas; reduce visa wait times; provide green card access to doctoral STEM graduates; and allow qualified students to declare intent to stay in the United States after graduation. These protections and pathways help ensure that we retain the talent we train and are vital to ensuring that our nation stays at the forefront of global innovation and protecting our national security.
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Founded in 1900, the Association of American Universities is composed of America’s leading research universities. AAU’s 65 research universities transform lives through education, research, and innovation.
Our member universities earn the majority of competitively awarded federal funding for research that improves public health, seeks to address national challenges, and contributes significantly to our economic strength, while educating and training tomorrow’s visionary leaders and innovators.
AAU member universities collectively help shape policy for higher education, science, and innovation; promote best practices in undergraduate and graduate education; and strengthen the contributions of leading research universities to American society.