[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 39 (Monday, March 18, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1897-S1898]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. FEINSTEIN:
  S. 588. A bill for the relief of Robert Liang and Alice Liang; to the 
Committee on the Judiciary.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise to reintroduce private relief 
legislation for Robert Kuan Liang and his wife, Chun-Mei, ``Alice'', 
Hsu-Liang.
  I first introduced a private bill for Robert and Alice in 2003. Since 
then this family has only further demonstrated their hard work ethic 
and commitment to realizing the American dream. I continue to believe 
that Robert and Alice merit Congress' special consideration and the 
extraordinary relief provided by private legislation.
  Robert and Alice have been living in San Bruno, CA, for the last 27 
years. Robert is a national and refugee from Laos, and Alice is 
originally from Taiwan. They have three children who are all United 
States citizens. I am concerned that forcing Robert and Alice to return 
to their home countries would tear this family apart and cause immense 
and unwarranted hardship to them and their children.
  Robert and Alice have called California their home since they first 
entered the United States in 1983. They came here legally on tourist 
visas. They face deportation today because they remained in the United 
States past the terms of their visas, and because their attorney failed 
to handle their immigration case on a timely basis before federal 
immigration laws changed in 1996.
  In many ways, the Liang family represents a uniquely American success 
story. Robert was born in Laos, but fled the country as a teenager 
after his mother was killed by Communists. He witnessed many traumatic 
experiences in his youth, including the attack that killed his mother 
and frequent episodes of wartime violence. He routinely witnessed the 
brutal persecution and deaths of others in his village in Laos. In 
1975, he was granted refugee status in Taiwan.
  Robert and his wife risked everything to come to the United States. 
Despite the challenges of their past, they built a family in California 
and established a place for themselves in the local community. They are 
homeowners. They own a successful business, Fong Yong Restaurant. They 
file annual income taxes and are financially stable.
  Robert and Alice support their three children, Wesley, Bruce, and 
Eva, who are all American citizens. Wesley is now 21 years old and 
studying at City College of San Francisco. The younger children, Bruce 
and Eva, attend schools in the San Bruno area and continue to do well 
in their classes.
  There are many reasons to believe that deporting Robert and Alice 
would have a harmful impact on the children, who have all of their ties 
to the United States. Deportation would either break this family apart 
or force them to relocate to a country entirely foreign to the one they 
know to be home.
  The Immigration Judge who presided over Robert and Alice's case in 
1997

[[Page S1898]]

also concluded that Robert and Alice's deportation would adversely 
impact the Liang children.
  Moreover, Robert would face significant hurdles if deported, having 
fled Laos as a refugee more than 27 years ago. The emotional impact of 
the wartime violence Robert experienced at a young age was traumatic 
and continues to strain him. He battles severe clinical depression here 
in the United States. Robert fears that if he is deported and moves to 
his wife's home country, Taiwan, he will face discrimination on account 
of his nationality. Robert does not speak Taiwanese, and he worries 
about how he would pursue mental health treatment in a foreign country.
  Robert and Alice have worked since 1993 to resolve their immigration 
status. They filed for relief from deportation; however, it took nearly 
five years for the Immigration and Naturalization Service, INS, to act 
on the case. By the time their case went through in 1997, the 
immigration laws had changed and the Liangs were no longer eligible for 
relief. I supported these changes, set forth in the Illegal Immigration 
Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996. But, I also believe 
there may be situations worthy of special consideration.
  Robert and Alice Liang represent one such example. They are long-term 
residents of the United States. Their children are all U.S. citizens. 
The Immigration Judge that presided over the appeal of this case 
determined that Robert and Alice would have qualified for relief from 
deportation, in light of these positive factors, had the INS given 
their case timely consideration. Unfortunately, their immigration case 
took nearly five years to move forward.
  A private bill is the only way for both Robert and Alice to remain in 
the United States together with their family. They have worked 
extraordinarily hard to make the United States their home. I believe 
Robert and Alice deserve the relief provided by a private bill.
  I respectfully ask my colleagues to support this private relief bill 
on behalf of the Liangs.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a copy of the bill be 
included in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 588

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS.

       (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law 
     or any order, for the purposes of the Immigration and 
     Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.), Robert Liang and 
     Alice Liang shall be deemed to have been lawfully admitted 
     to, and remained in, the United States, and shall be eligible 
     for issuance of an immigrant visa or for adjustment of status 
     under section 245 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
     U.S.C. 1255).
       (b) Application and Payment of Fees.--Subsection (a) shall 
     apply only if the applications for issuance of immigrant 
     visas or the applications for adjustment of status are filed 
     with appropriate fees not later than 2 years after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act.
       (c) Reduction of Immigrant Visa Numbers.--Upon the granting 
     of immigrant visas to Robert Liang and Alice Liang, the 
     Secretary of State shall instruct the proper officer to 
     reduce by 2, during the current or subsequent fiscal year, 
     the total number of immigrant visas that are made available 
     to natives of the country of birth of Robert Liang and Alice 
     Liang under section 203(a) of the Immigration and Nationality 
     Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(a)), or, if applicable, the total number 
     of immigrant visas that are made available to natives of the 
     country of birth of Robert Liang and Alice Liang under 
     section 202(e) of that Act (8 U.S.C. 1152(e)).
       (d) PAYGO.--The budgetary effects of this Act, for the 
     purpose of complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 
     2010, shall be determined by reference to the latest 
     statement titled ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' 
     for this Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional 
     Record by the Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, 
     provided that such statement has been submitted prior to the 
     vote on passage.
                                 ______