Posted on 09/09/2001 5:00:53 AM PDT by sarcasm
WASHINGTON – Showing greater flexibility on immigration issues, Congress is ready to approve a measure giving more time, until spring 2002, for some undocumented immigrants to secure resident status.
Based on assurances from GOP leaders, the House is expected next week to adopt a measure passed by the Senate late Thursday that extends for one year the period for immigrants to apply for visas without leaving the United States.
The Bush administration and senators of both parties pushed for the extension. They wanted to demonstrate during the visit of Mexican President Vicente Fox that Congress is ready to consider major changes in immigration policy.
"This is a significant step toward real immigration reform, and I'm proud that we were able to reach this agreement during President Fox's visit," said Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D.
An estimated 640,000 undocumented immigrants nationwide were eligible to apply for legal residency and seek green cards without first returning to their home countries. It's a significant break, because most undocumented immigrants who leave the United States are barred from re-entering for up to 10 years.
But that law expired in April. The Senate bill extends it until April 30, 2002 – or until four months after the Immigration and Naturalization Service issues regulations on how to apply.
The four-month provision is important, immigration advocates say. This year, the INS did not issue the rules until March, one month before the deadline, adding to confusion and misinformation about who was eligible.
At the last minute April 30, hundreds of applicants lined up at INS offices around the country.
To apply, an immigrant has to be sponsored by an employer or by a close relative who is a U.S. citizen or a legal permanent resident.
But a leading immigration expert, who has been tracking the legislation for months, expressed dismay, saying the bill – as currently structured – will limit the ability of many undocumented foreign nationals to benefit from it.
The reason, said Miami immigration lawyer Tammy Fox-Isicoff, is that the bill would make it "almost impossible" for undocumented immigrants to qualify for sponsorship by a U.S. company because the legislation requires applications to have been filed before Aug. 15.
"Since most lawyers have held off on these applications pending further extension, most of these applications have not been filed," Ms. Fox-Isicoff said.
As for sponsorship by a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, she said, the bill is also limiting because it requires the relationship to have existed prior to Aug 15. The previous law, which expired April 30, did not contain the pre-existing relationship requirement and led to a sudden surge in marriages between U.S. citizens and undocumented immigrants.
The Senate approved the extension on a voice vote, and House GOP leaders said they will take it up early next week. The move came as Mr. Fox urged Congress to consider sweeping changes in immigration policy that could lead to legal status for millions of undocumented immigrants.
On Friday, business and labor leaders, and several conservatives, called for changes in immigration law during a hearing held by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Thomas Donohue, president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, warned that employers will need millions of immigrant workers in the next 30 years as the baby boom generation retires.
"We won't close the worker shortage gap unless we make it easier for immigrants to fill these jobs," said Mr. Donohue, who favors a new guest-worker program as a "transition" to more comprehensive changes in immigration.
John Sweeney, president of the AFL-CIO, joined Mr. Donohue in urging Congress to legalize the status of many undocumented workers. Mr. Sweeney said legalization should precede any new guest-worker program.
Such sweeping measures are opposed by many in Congress who say it would reward undocumented immigrants and penalize others who have waited patiently to enter the country legally.
Grover Norquist, president of the conservative Americans for Tax Reform, said he favored extending permanent legal residency, but not necessarily citizenship, to more undocumented workers.
These types of shenanigans gives the amnesty seekers and scammers a lot of hope.
Where is your compassion for the newcomers?
Will "your" government similarly give you a year's extension on renewing your expiring license plates?
Will "your" government similarly give you a year's extension on your kid's school vaccination requirements?
IMMIGRATION resource library - including public-health facts of immigration
No, very bad idea 76.76% (403)
No 12.19% (64)
No, bad idea 5.71% (30)
Not sure 1.71% (9)
Yes, very good idea 1.52% (8)
Yes 1.33% (7)
Yes, good idea 0.38% (2)
Other 0.38% (2)
No opinion 0.00% (0)
--------------------
TOTAL VOTES: 525
Good point, sarcasm. If not for immigration, where would the U.S. be right now? I wonder if the Native Americans would have given us amnesty? Or didn't we just move on in?. . .
;-)
This WND poll says that 94.40% of the people say "NO" to this issue in 3 different ways. But, do you think our spineless administration is going to listen to us mere Americans? Nope!!
Vote them all out in 2004!!
The ones I'm talking about are right here. The ones that immigrated here from Europe and elsewhere. My point is that the U.S. is a country in which 100% of the folks moved here - immigrated here - from other places, true?
Problem is the Americans (defined as American Indians) didn't have an immigration policy 500 years ago when folks came to the New World from the Old World. They welcomed the newcomers with open arms - at least until the newcomers started becoming bullies.
Just food for thought, and I welcome rational feedback.
Thanks, sarcasm. ;-)
Vote them all out in 2004!!
That poll is not biased or anything, right? I go there all the time (WND Poll) and when I see the results, I know they are skewed. I often post links to the WND Poll here on FR to get FReepers to jump into the poll. I seriously doubt that a true poll would show 94% of Americans feel that way! LOL ;-)
I'll vote straight Republican Party in 2004 the same as I did in 2000!
Cheers!
If you go to a conservative site you can expect conservative numbers. However, other independent polls (take them for what they are worth) show that as a whole Americans are against immigration/amnest 60 to 80%. Are those polls biased?
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