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HR 1870 111th Congress House

To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide for relief to surviving spouses and children.

Introduced: May 6, 2009 Introduced by: McGovern, James P. Democratic · Massachusetts See on congress.gov
Immigration Evidence and witnessesImmigration status and proceduresMarriage and family status
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This bill died when the 111th Congress ended
It never became law before the 111th Congress (2009–2010) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
May 26, 2009
Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law.
Apr 2, 2009
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Apr 2, 2009
Introduced in House
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 Latest action May 26, 2009

Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to allow a surviving spouse of a U.S. citizen who was married for less than two years at the time of the citizen's death who proves by a preponderance of the evidence that the marriage was entered into in good faith and not for the purpose of obtaining an immigration benefit to self-petition (within the required two years) for continued immediate relative status. (Applies such provision to applications and petitions pending on or after the date of enactment of this Act.)

Extends the petition filing deadline for two years after the date of the enactment of this Act if: (1) the alien's U.S. citizen spouse died before the date of the enactment of this Act; (2) the alien and the citizen spouse were married for less than two years at the time of the citizen spouse's death; and (3) the alien has not remarried.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 6
All 6 Democratic 3
D
Cohen, Steve
Tennessee · May 6, 2009
Sablan, Gregorio
· Apr 22, 2009
Bordallo, Madeleine
· Apr 2, 2009
 D
Markey, Edward J.
Massachusetts · Apr 2, 2009
McMahon, Michael
· Apr 2, 2009
 D
Nadler, Jerrold
New York · Apr 2, 2009
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 1870: To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide for relief to surviving spouses and children.. 111th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-1870/
MLA
"H.R. 1870: To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide for relief to surviving spouses and children.." 111th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-1870/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 1870, 111th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-1870/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 1870: To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide for relief to surviving spouses and children.](https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-1870/)
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