119th (2025–2027)
H.R. 9494
The Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act of 2026 would allow certain Haitian nationals and their family members to apply for permanent legal residency in the United States. To qualify, Haitian nationals must have been continuously present in the U.S. starting June 26, 2024, and can apply within three years of the bill's enactment, while spouses and children of eligible Haitians can also apply. The legislation waives certain admissibility grounds such as health-related and character-based restrictions, though applicants with aggravated felonies or convictions involving moral turpitude remain ineligible, and immigration enforcement actions against eligible applicants would be paused during their applications. The bill also allows eligible applicants to work in the U.S. while their applications are pending, and grants them access to the same administrative and judicial review procedures available to other permanent residency applicants.