East Idaho Times

U.S. Senator Jim Risch has introduced the Religious Workforce Protection Act, aimed at addressing the backlog of EB-4 applications affecting religious workers in the United States on temporary R-1 status. The legislation intends to allow these workers to remain in the country while their permanent residency applications are processed.

The bill provides authority to the Secretary of Homeland Security to extend the temporary R-1 nonimmigrant status for religious workers already in the U.S. It also facilitates reentry for those who had to leave due to expired visas.

Senator Risch emphasized the bill's significance, stating, “Idaho’s religious communities risk losing up to a quarter of their clergy due to immigration backlogs.” The introduction of this act is seen as a vital measure to prevent disruption in religious services: “By introducing the Religious Workforce Protection Act, we offer an important fix—ensuring religious workers who are integral to Idaho congregations can continue their service without interruption during lengthy visa processing delays.”

Bishop Peter F. Christensen from the Diocese of Boise voiced support for the legislation. He highlighted how the current visa system could lead to severe hardships if foreign-born priests are required to leave the country. “Despite the vast territory and increasing membership, our diocese is served by only 79 priests. If the current R-1 visa procedures remain in effect, our diocese will face severe hardship when foreign-born priests are required to leave the country for at least one year or more,” remarked Bishop Christensen.

The bill also has backing from U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Tim Kaine, who co-sponsored the legislation. Bishop Christensen acknowledged their roles, stating, “I would like to extend my special thanks to Senator Risch and his staff, as well as Senators Susan Collins and Tim Kaine, for their assistance in developing and sponsoring the bill.”

The current law mandates that religious workers with R-1 status can stay in the U.S. for five years, after which they must leave for at least a year before potentially returning. This situation affects nearly 25% of clergy members who are foreign-born, posing significant challenges to religious communities across the nation. In Idaho, over a fourth of Catholic priests may lose their legal immigration status in the next four years due to these restrictions.