SCOOP: Bipartisan Senate Group Eyes UC Vote on Religious Workforce Visa Fix
Sens. Kaine, Collins and Risch met last week to tee up the Religious Workforce Protection Act. But any objecting senator could stall it indefinitely.
WASHINGTON — A bipartisan trio of U.S. Senators—Tim Kaine, D-Va., Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Jim Risch, R-Idaho —met last week to strategize on advancing the Religious Workforce Protection Act (S.1298) through a unanimous consent vote, Kaine told us in a hallway interview Tuesday.
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The bill aims to allow foreign-born religious workers on expiring R-1 visas to remain in the U.S. while awaiting decisions on their EB-4 green card applications, addressing a critical gap affecting faith communities nationwide.
Despite the bipartisan support, it remains unclear whether Senate Majority Leader John Thune will bring the measure to the floor. The bill has garnered endorsements from a broad coalition of religious organizations, including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the U.S. Council of Muslim Organizations, and the Hindu American Foundation, all emphasizing the essential role of immigrant clergy in their communities.
Introduced in April, the Religious Workforce Protection Act seeks to mitigate disruptions caused by visa backlogs, particularly in rural and immigrant-rich areas where foreign-born clergy provide vital services.
Currently, R-1 visas, granted to ministers and other religious professionals, are limited to a maximum stay of five years. The new measure would permit extensions until their applications for lawful permanent residence are processed, bypassing this time restriction.
The legislation also introduces limited job flexibility, allowing religious workers to change employers without jeopardizing their visa applications—a provision previously restricted to certain other immigrant categories.
Additionally, it exempts those who left the U.S. due to the five-year cap from a regulation requiring a one-year foreign residency before reapplying, offering a pathway for their return.
For the religious community, the implications are significant. Faith-based organizations, which often rely on international clergy and workers to fill roles in underserved areas, have long faced challenges due to visa delays.
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The backlog for religious worker immigrant visas, known as EB-4 special immigrant visas, has disrupted continuity in religious services, particularly in rural or minority communities.
The bill's future may hinge on whether it can be scheduled for a unanimous consent vote, a process that requires no objections from any senator. If even one senator objects, the bill would need to undergo the standard legislative process, which could delay its passage.
Religious leaders and immigrant advocates are closely monitoring the situation, urging swift action to prevent further disruptions to faith communities across the country.