Details of the Compromise Immigration Reform Bill
Posted on Thu May 17, 2007 at 09:09:06 PM EST
Tags: immigrants, immigration reform (all tags)
Update: Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi are skeptical. They say the bill needs to be improved in the Senate. I agree, particularly with respect to the family separation issues, the need to go back to the home country and wait, possibly for years, to return and the onerous path to permanent residency and citizenship.
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The 300 page immigration reform bill won't be publicly available until tomorrow. Here is a summary of key provisions:
— Undocumented immigrants who came to the United States before Jan. 1, 2007 — an estimated 12 million — would get immediate, but probationary, legal status and ability to work and travel if they pass background checks.
— Undocumented immigrants and their families could get new “Z'’ visas good for four years, but renewable indefinitely, by paying a $5,000 fee per head of household. After eight years, holders of Z visas could apply for permanent legal residence — a green card — by returning to their home countries and paying another $4,000 penalty.
— Between 400,000 and 600,000 foreigners would be able to come every year to work. They could stay for two years on new “Y-1′’ visas then return home for one year and could renew the visas for a total of six years in the country. They could bring their families with them for one two-year period.
More...
— New Z and Y visas would not take effect until the Department of Homeland Security had met new border security and immigration enforcement conditions, including: expanding the Border Patrol to 18,000 agents; constructing 200 miles of vehicle barriers and 370 miles of fencing along the border; deploying four unmanned aerial vehicles and 70 ground-based radar and camera systems along border; establishing a secure identification system to verify workers are eligible for jobs.
— Employers would have to use a new electronic system to verify new hires are eligible for work within 18 months. Three years after that, all employees would have to have ID verified through the new system.
— The current green card system would be replaced by a new point system, with applicants getting credit for English proficiency, job skills, education and family ties. Spouses and children of U.S. citizens could still qualify for unlimited number of green cards. Parents of U.S. citizens could get up to 40,000 green cards per year. Spouses and children of permanent legal residents could get up to 87,000 green cards per year. About 380,000 green cards would eventually be issued via point system.
— Total number of green cards issued per year would be about 1 million, same as current law.
— Agricultural workers could get new Y-2A visas good for 10-month stays in the United States every year.
— Undocumented immigrants under 30 who came here as children would be eligible for green cards within three years.
Here's the transcript of the Senate Conference. And the viewpoint of some of the undocumented who are skeptical about the proposal.
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