Discussion On The Politics of Immigration Reform (Comprehensive Or Otherwise)

[qesehmk]

bvsamrat, thanks. I only meant if at all you thought Tech industry was savior for the legal ones - then that was not valid. So I guess we r on the same page there.

Agree about merit based system's virtues. It is a shame that the immigration system is based on geopolitics and wrong ideas about what constitutes diversity (i.e. 7% country quota) rather than the merit of the immigrant.

However, I wouldn't say that dems are opposed to merit based system. I think legals are not important enough for them and so it is not a priority for them. This is just as much true a statement about GOP as well as Tech industry. So if anybody is villain here then its all of the above.

Q- I disagree on one point - I never counted on Tech Industry supporting legals ..So far merit based system and all other suggestions looked very good, but DEM's determination to hold these at ransom against illegal's pathway appears to be the stumbling block at the cost of CIR.

[axecapone]

bvsamrat - the dynamic is such that legal immigrants have no chips whatsoever. The illegals have only one chip which is the latino vote bank and that's a quite powerful chip.

If you think legals have one chip with tech industry - you couldn't be more mistaken. The tech industry only employs a handful of all the H1s. Plus those that it employs - is able to exploit them while their GC is stuck. Thus legals are completely on their own and they have no power or so whatsoever in this whole debate - at least for now.

The CIR is the ONLY chance for legals. They need to come to terms with this HARD TRUTH.

I do not agree with you here. Vote bank is not the only chip. We need to think out of the box: Something revolutionary. Think about it: Many legals here are very influential people making a difference in our society. Many are doctors, engineers, lawyers and PhD's making life saving drugs, next generation xbox consoles, re architecting facebook, google and twitter, exploring alternative energy etc etc.. To say that we are powerless sounds so ludicrous.

Yes I agree we don't have vote bank power but we can still make a difference. As of today, our voices are not even heard. Its like we don't exist because we never took the time and effort to show them we exist and we make a difference. We need to change that.

[idiotic]

Its like we don't exist because we never took the time and effort to show them we exist and we make a difference.

Just change the "time and effort" to "money".

[qesehmk]

axe - Don't disagree. Just that somehow that power today is latent at best. Washington doesn't feel it. Doesnt mean can't be seen tomorrow. Just that today it doesn't manifest itself.

I do not agree with you here. Vote bank is not the only chip. We need to think out of the box: Something revolutionary. Think about it: Many legals here are very influential people making a difference in our society. Many are doctors, engineers, lawyers and PhD's making life saving drugs, next generation xbox consoles, re architecting facebook, google and twitter, exploring alternative energy etc etc.. To say that we are powerless sounds so ludicrous.

Yes I agree we don't have vote bank power but we can still make a difference. As of today, our voices are not even heard. Its like we don't exist because we never took the time and effort to show them we exist and we make a difference. We need to change that.

[vizcard]

So looks the Corker-Hoeven amendment passed cloture and will be voted on tomorrow. It got atleast 66 yes votes..voting still in progress. Some say this vote will be a reflection of the final vote.

[idiotic]

Rep Yes Votes -- Ayotte, Chiesa, Collins, Corker, Flake, Graham, Hatch, Heller, Hoeven, Kirk, McCain, Murkowski, Rubio, Wicker.

[idiotic]

https://www.numbersusa.com/content/n...amendment.html

Buying more time to threaten republican yes sayers to get them to change the final vote.. Last attempt..

Looks like Reid has set 1PM tommorow as deadline for filing all amendments. There may be more votes "to table them", I guess and then cloture.

Activits are mobiling based their members based on Jan27 as voting day. I think that will not be disturbed. Let's see..

[seattlet]

Few tech companies favor giving green cards versus few who do not

a) Google, Facebook, Amazon, Ebay , Microsoft are examples of organizations who favor giving green cards sooner. The primary reason being they are unable to get H1 B's for the creme of the crop irrespective of how much they salary they pay. (the consulting companies with 50 to 60K base pay takes away those H1's)

b) Niche Consulting Companies based in US (not just IT consulting) favor giving green cards for the same reason as above. Right now, even to hire an Hardvard MBA out of school, you will need H1 B which is cap limited and scorged by the low level consulting companies


The ones below do not want any techies to ever get a green card, since it helps their business to keep modern day slavery alive (they will sponsor for few just for name sake)
Luckily for us, these organizations are not good at lobbying (That will quickly change since they have a lot of money and dont know what to do with it)

a) Indian IT headweights like TCS and others ( garangutan list) . They love L1's. I have a feeling that they are bankrolling Grassley (just a joke)
b) small time body shopping consulting firms (Desi / American doesnt matter. After getting green card, 99 % of their employees will not stick to them).
c) Few US consulting organizations like Accenture , IBM etc (their policy for filing green cards have got strict by each year, plus all travel related PERMS get into an audit mostly). Their average employee retention is 13 to 24 months and hence it does not make sense for them to sponsor Green cards. The employees who stay longer at these firms are the H1 B's.


As Q mentioned earlier, looks like CIR is the best hope for all Immigrants. As days go by, even if the economy tanks slightly, they will put the cat back in the bag.

[vizcard]

Activits are mobiling based their members based on Jan27 as voting day.

Translation - "Activists are mobilizing their members based on June 27 as voting day"

[idiotic]

Frank Sharry, a leading immigration reform advocate, describes congressional Republicans’ views on the legislation as divided between “yes,” “no,” and “vote no, pray yes.”

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dc/...ot-immigration

We have to thank Minority Leader for letting his group move forward in spite of an election year for himself in the interest of the party. Also, there are reports he already raised enough money for his own reelection later this year but nevertheless he faces some tough questions in his own primary. Thank you Mitch McConnell.

[erikbond101]

Senator Warren amendment #1532 may also get discussed tomorrow. Not sure if it will pass.

Requiring employers to sharing green card, H1 & L1 visa paperwork and approvals with employees – This will help prevent abuses in the system as immigrant employees will not be beholden to the employer.
Fix for removal of per country effective date
Clarify job mobility for immigrants after filing adjustment of status - This will allow some job mobility to free up skilled immigrant labor force
Fix for STEM definition to include backlogged applicants, increasing from current limit of 5 years in the bill to 10 years. This will allow backlogged STEM applicants not to be left out. It is being discussed in Immigration Voice.

[rupen86]

Senator Warren amendment #1532 may also get discussed tomorrow. Not sure if it will pass.

Requiring employers to sharing green card, H1 & L1 visa paperwork and approvals with employees – This will help prevent abuses in the system as immigrant employees will not be beholden to the employer.
Fix for removal of per country effective date
Clarify job mobility for immigrants after filing adjustment of status - This will allow some job mobility to free up skilled immigrant labor force
Fix for STEM definition to include backlogged applicants, increasing from current limit of 5 years in the bill to 10 years. This will allow backlogged STEM applicants not to be left out. It is being discussed in Immigration Voice.

If it is discussed, it has good chances of being passed. There is hardly any controversial item in this. We should call our senators and ask for the support for this amendment.

[vizcard]

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) will vote yes on S.744

[kuku82]

Of the 6 senators who didn't vote yesterday, 2 are democrats (Sherrod Brown and Tom Udall) - seems they could not vote 'coz their flights were delayed. The 2 republicans who have appeared neutral but lean towards supporting the overall measure are both GA senators (Chambliss and Isakson). In theory the overall yeas' could be 71. Worse case 69.

[bvsamrat]

Today morning on CBC, Paul Ryan sounded optimistic on CIR.
I guess the Republicans started smelling victory at next election by allowing CIR on their own terms and to get credit if passes through.
There is no better time for REPs added with prospect of Hillary running in 2016 and now getting credit for CIR and not being a stumbling block.
But an easy CIR will marginalize DEM's advantage with Latinos and they would fight tooth and nail not to let this happen.
I see the conflict points would be- pathway to citizenship and medical eligibility - But if CIR fails just for these reasons, I am sure DEM's will get the boot.
I am sure Latino lobby must be passing on their view to DEMs(and REPs) - Now or never, get whatever you can, but getting empty handed is not an option. Favorite Mahamood's line- ""Kameez nahi tho colar sahi”

[gs1968]

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) will vote yes on S.744

An erstwhile Senator said this of Sen.Hatch

"Don't count your Hatches before they chicken"

[gs1968]

Of the 6 senators who didn't vote yesterday, 2 are democrats (Sherrod Brown and Tom Udall) - seems they could not vote 'coz their flights were delayed. The 2 republicans who have appeared neutral but lean towards supporting the overall measure are both GA senators (Chambliss and Isakson). In theory the overall yeas' could be 71. Worse case 69.

The overall yes votes is probably closer to 68 as the article below suggests. Personally I think it does not matter as the vote count was overwhelmingly Democratic and only a minority of the Republicans voted yes. Also none of the Senior Republican leadership voted yes. A lot of the Republican votes were obtained using earmarks which will most likely be stripped out during conference (if it gets that far) owing to the earmark ban in the House.

http://washingtonexaminer.com/mornin...stom_click=rss

[qesehmk]

If he indeed said yes - he won't chicken out.

An erstwhile Senator said this of Sen.Hatch

"Don't count your Hatches before they chicken"

[idiotic]

http://www.usnews.com/cartoons/immigration-cartoons

Hope you enjoy the 71 new ones which are also thoughtful..

[vizcard]

If he indeed said yes - he won't chicken out.

http://www.sltrib.com/csp/cms/sites/...sp?id=56505579

Salt Lake Tribune article from today. The link opens up a "Print" dialog box but you can just cancel out of that to read the article.

[gs1968]

http://www.sltrib.com/csp/cms/sites/...sp?id=56505579

Salt Lake Tribune article from today. The link opens up a "Print" dialog box but you can just cancel out of that to read the article.

To Q and Viz
I am sure he will vote yes.I was reminded of that joke from years ago.I think it was Sen.Phil Gramm from TX who said that

[qesehmk]

That was a good one!

To Q and Viz
I am sure he will vote yes.I was reminded of that joke from years ago.I think it was Sen.Phil Gramm from TX who said that

[erikbond101]

In my opinion bill should pass and legalize all 11 million un-documented (illiegals). But Senate/House should also add provision that after date of passing all new illegals should be criminalized and prosecuted. Border Security etc is all bull-s***. What are they going to do with new illegals after 4-5 years of passing this bill?

[idiotic]

What are they going to do with new illegals after 4-5 years of passing this bill?

With E-Verify being the law of the land at that time, both employer and immigrant will be punished.

[vizcard]

With E-Verify being the law of the land at that time, both employer and immigrant will be punished.

except for pedro the day worker who gets paid in cash for services rendered