Mr. Chairman. this amendment amends the provisions of the Immigration and Nationalization Act dealing with suspensions of deportation. To be eligible for suspension of deportation an individual must prove continuous physical presence in the United States for a period of 7 years. This amendment would clarify that the requirements allow brief absences during this 7year period. that is. absences that do not meaningfully interrupt the continuous physical presence. Now. the reason for that is to express the intent of Congress that the requirement not be literally or strictly construed in light of the recent Supreme Court opinion that did so. The practical result of the Supreme Courts opinion is to nullify the suspension of deportation provision. a result that the Congress could not have intended. The more personal result is that the longtime residents of this country are being denied legal status unfairly on the grounds that they may have only briefly made an innocent trip to outside the borders. Now. this.
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deportation Immigration