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A U.S. congressman made a statement about the recently introduced Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act.

Colorado Democratic Representative Jared Polis commended Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) for introducing the legislation.

“Today Senators Menendez and Leahy showed true leadership by introducing the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act," he said. "Instead of punting the issue like so many of our colleagues in Congress, this bill represents a good-faith effort to fix our broken immigration system."

Polis also spoke about the impact that the bill would have on the EB-5 visa program.

"The bill also includes the Employment Benefit Act, which I sponsored in the House," he said. "This provision would reform the EB-5 visa and create a new startup visa that would bring our immigration system into the 21st century and encourage foreigners with good ideas and much-needed capital to invest in our economy, rather than in our competitors’. By streamlining and expanding our nation’s EB-5 visa program, we can unleash innovation into our economy, create thousands of quality jobs right here in America, and bring in capital to grow American businesses."

The EB-5 visa program was started to help American businesses gain access to foreign capital. Under the program, if a foreign national invests $1 million and that investment leads to the creation or preservation of 10 jobs, the investor becomes eligible for a U.S. green card.

Polis said that the bill would make the country safer and help people who are in the country unlawfully.

"The bill contains tough provisions that would secure our borders, crack down on unscrupulous employers who cheat the system, and force immigrants who are here illegally to come out the shadows and to get right with the law by paying fines and registering with the government," he said.

Many EB-5 investments are handled through what are termed EB-5 regional centers. These centers can be any private enterprise or corporation or a government agency. Some of these EB-5 regional centers are classified as Targeted Employment Areas, which are distinguished by having an unemployment rate higher than the national average. Only $500,000 need be invested in such areas.

In fiscal year 2009, a total of 4,219 foreign investors were able to earn U.S. green cards by participating in the EB-5 visa program.