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H.R.4885 / 108th Congress

Comprehensive Immigration Fairness Act

Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims.

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jul 21, 2004

Comprehensive Immigration Fairness Act - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to make permanently available the exception to the adjustment of status bar for beneficiaries of family petitions or labor certification applications.

Adds grounds for discretionary waiver of inadmissibility.

Authorizes K nonimmigrant status for specified family members of lawful permanent residents (LPRs) and additional family members of U.S. citizens who are awaiting immigrant visas.

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Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) to disregard as aggravated felonies (with immigration consequences) certain criminal convictions.

Provides that a person who is a child on the last day of the 90-day period after a pending application for INA benefits is filed shall be considered to be a child for all purposes related to such application.

Clarifies that the term "child" includes children for whom adoption proceedings were initiated prior to specified ages.

Authorizes the Secretary to waive certain bars to admission.

Establishes a program for earned access to legalization.

Authorizes the adjustment of status of certain undocumented children.

Amends the registry provision.

Expands the list of unfair immigration-related employment practices.

Requires petitioners for nonimmigrant workers to file affidavits describing efforts to recruit U.S. citizens or LPRs.

Doubles the numerical cap on worldwide diversity immigrant visas.

Provides for adjustment of status of certain Haitian nationals. Eliminates mandatory detention in asylum seekers' expedited removal proceedings. Amends the Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act of 1998 to remove document fraud as a ground of inadmissibility and to address child-related determinations.

Provides for adjustment of status of certain Liberian nationals.

Modifies requirements applicable to asylum and refugee proceedings.

Authorizes adjustment of status for certain recipients of temporary protected status.

Repeals a provision in the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 that bars Federal, State, and local governments from preventing the communication of immigration status information to the Department of Homeland Security.

Repeals a provision of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 concerning verification of eligibility for Federal public benefits.

Eliminates statutory authority permitting State personnel to carry out immigration officer functions.

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Who introduced it

Rep. Jackson-Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18] · D–TX

Committees

  • Judiciary Committee
29 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

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  1. Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims.

  2. Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

  3. Introduced in House

  4. Introduced in House

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Aug 18, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

Explore the bill from different angles

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Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze H.R.4885 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

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Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine H.R.4885 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

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Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine H.R.4885 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

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Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine H.R.4885 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

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