I haven't seen the bill yet, but from what I heard, there is no increase in "citizenship" or green card quotas in the bill and they would all have to go to the end of the line.
From what I've heard, my criticism of the bill is that the illegal aliens would get to jump the visa line, which would be a disadvantage to those who wait for a visa to come into this country. This precedent would only encourage more to come here illegally.
My second complaint with the bill is the enforcement benchmarks. They are too weak. I would want to see a successful closing of the border and a successful interior enforcement.
Here is a draft of the bill. I have gone through quickly the 326 pages. There are increases in various catergories of immigration including citizenship and green card quotas in the future. That really isn't as important as the fact that the Y visa[400,000 a year guest worker program] and Z visa holders [the 12 to 20 million illegals] will be able to bring in their spouses and children, and in the case of Z visa holders, their parents. The HIB visa quota has been increased from 65,000 to 115,000 in 2008 and eventually to 180,000. [Page 217}
The Dream Act has also been incorporated into the bill. [Page 295]. SS cards will be issued to Z-visa holders. {page 292}
From what I've heard, my criticism of the bill is that the illegal aliens would get to jump the visa line, which would be a disadvantage to those who wait for a visa to come into this country. This precedent would only encourage more to come here illegally.
Anyone here is automatically given legalized status so they don't need a visa. They can also travel back and forth to their home countries.
The bill or some version of it is out there on thomas.loc.gov, I was reading it this morning but don’t have the URL. Some of the blogs have posted links, and also some other FR threads.
It is dense reading, but so far as I could tell it allows for immediate conditional approval to anyone who applies for the Z1 visa.
In the application you must demonstrate work, here before Jan 1 2007, the $1,000 fine (and $4,000 more over six years), and no criminal record. That makes virtually all of our 15 million “undocumented workers” eligible.
Again, you are “protected” by the Z1 the moment you apply (this is normal CIS policy, there is a grace period once you send any immigration application).
Once the app is approved you can then apply for your parents and spouse under the Z2 visa, and your children under the Z3. Let’s say the average applicant has two parents, wife, and 1.5 children. We then have 15 million x 5.5 applications = 82.5 million potential applicants for the Z visas. Even if you whack those numbers in half it’s substantially more than the 15 million that proponents like to cite.
Goes without saying that elderly parents and young children will be net users of public benefits (particularly school and medical). Given the underskilled and undereducated profile of our new guest worker population, you can expect their federal tax contributions to be extremely small, if anything.