The Democratic Party Immigration legislation proposal

[Go2Peace]

Reid, Schummer, and Mendez just put out a proposal.

The bill is here in PDF form

It:

1. First Secures the borders by increasing personnel, funds, and technology to police both borders. It seeks to secure all borders against unauthorized crossing.

2. It increases penalties and enforcement of both employers *and* people who come in illegally.

3. It increases H1-B caps for Degreed persons and establishes an additional category to bring in highly educated workers.

4. Creates a program to allow "lower skilled" immigrants in but the employer must first meet several tests. The job must be advertised to Americans first and not be filled. It must meet a number of guidelines that generally mean it must pay above minimum wage. These immigration categories will be eligible to become citizens through a process

5. It temporarily increases family based immigration and requires that family based immigration backlogs be cleared in 8 years, after which time levels resume back to "normal". It also gives more priority to family based immigration applications

6. It creates a new biometric Social Security card, creates a computerized database, and increases fines and jail for illegal use of SS cards and identity theft

7. It will require all illegal immigrants to register and at the same time create a "Lawful Prospective Immigrant" process for existing immigrants who are here illegally to become legal immigrants and give them protection while they work through it.

[Go2Peace]

1. Thuuunk! As it sinks. I thought folks were interested in discussing immigration policy?

Well, here is the bill that it appears will be put forward after all?

[IndianaJoe]

2. I'm an Immigration Lawyer.

Some quick thoughts:

It has some good things. I also think there's a lot of Republican in it that was probably inserted to mollify Sen. Lindsey Graham, who now seems to be bailing on it.

Libertarians are going to be outraged by the National ID card. Liberals will have some real concerns about it too. (I know I do!) I urge all Dems to read the ID Card parts of the bill's outline very, very carefully and then take a look at this article:

<http://www.govtech.com/gt/95654>

I personally think the 8-year path to becoming "Legal Immigrants" (whatever that is) is way too long. Also, no immigrant who has committed a "crime" can engage in the process -- which, if literally true - is going to make for a great deal of unfairness.

I see nothing about revamping TPS; clearing up the "crime involving moral turpitude" morass; elimination of some of the draconian consequences of certain "aggravated felony" convictions; no addressing of the inequities of a system lacking in judicial review; and no attempt to address the problems of aliens with minor drug offenses on their records.

The H1B revamping is a smart idea but we could do a lot more to bolster investor and job-creation visas and Green Cards than is being done here.

Like I said, it's a start. But I think it could be a hell of a lot better. In many ways it isn't reform at all. Just more of the same.

[Go2Peace]

4. I was actually a little surprised by it

Personally I don't care much for the increase in H1-B when we have a lot of qualified people out of work. H1-B seems to be used a lot as an excuse not to hire, or a prejudice of sorts thinking that Americans are lazy or lack skills, which both are empirically untrue. But I actually was impressed that it actually appears to be an attempt to resolve the problems, rather than just a political sendout to whatever groups they hope to impress.

[IndianaJoe]

3. Deleted. Repetitive Post n/t