Immigration Amendments Roll In; Mike Lee Planning 30 Measures

Ianus · 05-07-2013, 04:39 PM

http://www.nationaljournal.com/congr...sures-20130507

Quote:

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, will offer about 30 amendments to the immigration reform package on Tuesday, including a measure that would ramp up congressional oversight of border security.

Lee's amendment would require Congress to approve both the Department of Homeland Security plan to secure the border and DHS’ completion of the plan. Under the current Gang of Eight bill, DHS is required to submit a comprehensive border security strategy and fencing plan before illegal immigrants can begin applying for Registered Provisional Immigrant Status. Lee’s amendment would require the plan also get congressional approval to begin that process.

Border security has been one of the main concerns about comprehensive immigration reform voiced by Republicans, who argue that the major failure of the 1986 amnesty law passed by President Reagan was that the border measures promised were never delivered.

Amendments to the Gang of Eight's bill are due at 5 p.m. and mark up is set to begin Thursday.

Lee’s other amendments, including a bipartisan measure, will seek to narrow some of the categories of people who are allowed to apply to stay in the U.S., such as those who have been sentenced to deportation or who have been deported but have come back to the country. He will also introduce a stricter process for determining how much illegal immigrants owe in back taxes and proving that they are currently employed.

Unlike some colleagues, such as Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., who want to reduce the number of immigrants coming to the United States, Lee wants to increase the number of low-skilled workers that can come into the country on a newly-created “W” visa to 200,000, and eventually raise the cap to 400,000 – far more than the 20,000 that the Gang of Eight proposed at the outset. This could anger labor unions, who wanted fewer W visas than the Chamber of Commerce did, an argument that nearly sank a deal on low-skilled workers the Chamber negotiated with the AFL-CIO.

Lee would also make it easier for companies to hire high-skilled workers through the H-1B visa program.

Task_1539 · 05-07-2013, 04:52 PM

some serious business

Abaddon · 05-07-2013, 04:56 PM

I'm concerned about those who have been given a final order of deportation, like myself... I guess we will see

Smooth · 05-07-2013, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abaddon

I'm concerned about those who have been given a final order of deportation, like myself... I guess we will see

I doubt those changes will be made.

Rev_Scholar · 05-07-2013, 05:08 PM

I guess I'm glad that Senators like these, instead of just hating on the bill completely, try to actually change what they don't like about it. #CIR 2013

freshh. · 05-07-2013, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Under the current Gang of Eight bill, DHS is required to submit a comprehensive border security strategy and fencing plan before illegal immigrants can begin applying for Registered Provisional Immigrant Status. Lee’s amendment would require the plan also get congressional approval to begin that process.

I worry about this.

We could end up in the same place a year from now if Congress does not approve the border security plan.

Ianus · 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abaddon

I'm concerned about those who have been given a final order of deportation, like myself... I guess we will see

I wouldn't worry about it at all in both the Judiciary and Senate floor at this time.I don't think too many conservative amendments will be adopted in the process unless they are mainly about border security on the Mexican border or at ports of entry.

The whole idea I think of CIR is to reset the system on how it should function and improve on it.

Pianoswithoutfaith · 05-07-2013, 06:25 PM

Quote:

such as those who have been sentenced to deportation or who have been deported but have come back to the country.

I hope it also talks about about the people who chose to leave on their own and came back

swiftp · 06:35 PM

I'm going through Grassley's amendments and this guy offers even harsher treatment for RPI-eligible people, yikes. More fees, way less people eligible, almost no humanitarian exceptions, very easy to fall out of RPI status and be deported, less administrative discretion for special cases, etc.

IamAman · 05-07-2013, 07:04 PM

The part with the final orders of deportations being excluded is very scary. It makes little sense too given that the only difference between us and those who just stayed here illegally is that the first group was either caught or had tried to do the right thing and failed. The actual act of being here illegally however was the same.

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Immigration Amendments Roll In; Mike Lee Planning 30 Measures