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Ice on Immigration:
Administration and Congressional proposals for reform
By L. Patricia Ice, Featured
Columnist
Question: Has there been any movement of the United States government
on proposed legislation for legalization of undocumented immigrants and
other immigration reform?
Answer: Recently President Bush came out with a proposal to establish a
guest worker Visa Z. The plan would grant a work visa to an
undocumented immigrant but require him of her to return to his or her
home country and pay a $10,00 fine to come back to the United States as
a lawful permanent resident. An immigrant could apply for three-year Z
visa which could be renewed twice, but cost $3,500 each time.
Two
United States senators also introduced legislation into Congress called
the STRIVE Act of 2007. Among other things, the Act would increase
border security, increase employer sanction penalties for hiring
undocumented workers, and create a new conditional temporary guest
worker visa category for undocumented workers, as well as an H-2C visa
for new guest workers. Certain undocumented workers could get temporary
lawful status in the United States, but would have to leave the country
and return in order to obtain lawful permanent residence status.
Formerly undocumented immigrants as well as new arrivals under the
proposed guest worker programs would have an eventual path to
citizenship. The DREAM Act of 2007, which would help certain
undocumented students, and the AgJobs Act of 2007 would be incorporated
into the STRIVE Act.
In
addition, a proposal known as the McCain-Kennedy bill, introduced by
Senators McCain and Kennedy, would allow undocumented workers to seek a
temporary visa, residence, and citizenship without returning to their
home countries first. But it would also step up border enforcement and
employer sanctions.
So far none of these proposals has gained momentum in the
Congress. As time passes and campaigning goes into higher gear, one
wonders whether there will be comprehensive immigration reform in
2007. So far, there has been little movement in that direction. |
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