Bills, Rules & Politics

[idliman]

Check this out

https://www.am22tech.com/path-to-cit...-visa-holders/

I think DT is trying to woo voters or trying to soften the blow of votes against him. Before people get very excited, please remember that democrats control the house. Democrats fully support family based immigration and the congressional black caucus is against removal of DV lottery. Please don't get excited. The immigration problem in the country is like the lack of trust between Palestinians and Israelis (or say Ind-Pak or N.Korea-S.Korea). Fundamentally a lot of things need to change and unless both parties realize that they are both losing they will not come to a deal. I suspect all movements from now till 2020 elections are vote bank politics. Just my opinion.

[rohanvus]

i echo your comments . Its a like deja vu moment - the cycle repeats itself during re-election season if history is any indication . Lets not put much money on this only to be disappointed at the end

[NJMavarick]

There is no political will to do CIR. Given the fact that democrats control the house and POTUS up for re-election, this is never going to pass. I am trying to be a realist out here. Immigration seems to be like the "Ayodhya" issue in India. Keep raising it to get votes every election and then kick the can down the road. The cycle keeps repeating.

I am also amazed by the various organizations like SIIA / IV who have put in a lot of effort to get the "removal of country quota" bill passed. Unfortunately, its a David vs Goliath battle. I have done my bit but we are the modern day slaves and the Attorney lobby or ITServe alliance will ensure that it never gets passed. <sigh> the times we live in.

[sudiva]

Thank you idliman, rohanvus and NJMavarick for your words of wisdom. Your time spent to write this up are very much appreciated to keep all of us firm on the ground. Thank you.

[HarepathekaIntezar]

https://news.yahoo.com/border-securi...-politics.html

[idliman]

Thank you idliman, rohanvus and NJMavarick for your words of wisdom. Your time spent to write this up are very much appreciated to keep all of us firm on the ground. Thank you.

I forgot to mention another important thing that crossed my mind. The president's proposal does not say a word about DACA. DACA is the elephant in the room and the president/GOP wants to pretend that it is not there because it is a difficult issue. These DACA kids are very knowledgeable and motivated. They will create so much noise that no one can ignore them. They have the masses to do it. I don't blame them, they have every right to fight. Just another point to note that all this hype is just vote bank politics.

[gs1968]

I just saw a tweet that at the rules committee meeting today for the Dream Act, Rep. Lofgren mentioned that the Democrats plan to move HR 1044 after the Dream and Promise act is passed. She didn't want to mix up daca and legal dreamers. No definite timeline offered except a promise

[NJMavarick]

I just saw a tweet that at the rules committee meeting today for the Dream Act, Rep. Lofgren mentioned that the Democrats plan to move HR 1044 after the Dream and Promise act is passed. She didn't want to mix up daca and legal dreamers. No definite timeline offered except a promise

Isn't it amazing that DACA is preferred over the legal folks! This shows their priorities. Anyways, I think it will be stalled in the Senate. Politics at its best.

[iatiam]

Isn't it amazing that DACA is preferred over the legal folks! This shows their priorities. Anyways, I think it will be stalled in the Senate. Politics at its best.

Actually it won't be introduced at all. Forget about stalling

[gs1968]

IV is reporting a breakthrough in negotiations for this Bill. Senator Grassley has added H-1b amendments which were filed today. Hopefully there is light at the end of the tunnel

[abcx13]

Seems very positive if Grassley supports it? I wonder when it will come up for vote.

[gs1968]

Seems very positive if Grassley supports it? I wonder when it will come up for vote.

If this is indeed true then it must be sooner rather than later. If the other members of the judiciary committee have no objections then the Senate can discharge the committee of it's responsibility and pass it through the whole chamber. If it reaches this point then it will either be passed by voice vote or unanimous consent. Waiting to vote will complicate matters further

[idliman]

Per CBS News: "Trump says millions in U.S. illegally to be deported starting next week". President DT waves a paper and says he has a secret deal with Mexico. Let the politics play out. To raise his poll numbers, he has to motivate his base. He came to power on a strong anti-immigration agenda and I guess he has and will take it to another extreme. In light of all these things, how can we expect HR 1044 to move realistically?

[gs1968]

I did not want to start a thread for this purpose and since this thread clearly deals with legal immigration I felt this would be the best place to post this.
Firstly I think the time has come for HR1044 and similar bills and the ground has clearly shifted in its favor. One would hope that after 11 years of introducing bills with the same language there would be some understanding among Congressmen about the issues and implications favoring passage. I was still hoping that it would be a clean bill without all the H-1B provisions but if that is what it takes then it is what it is. Things will get complicated further if Rep.Lofgren attempts to add her H-1B reform package from 2017

https://lofgren.house.gov/sites/lofg...017__final.pdf

On a different note I saw this table in my news feed and was stunned by the numbers. I am sure the number crunchers in this forum are already aware of its existence but I focus more on legislation and less on procedure

https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/...le-FY-2018.pdf

The outsourcing firms that were dominant till about 5-6 years ago have slowed it down to a trickle. I remember an article on the NFAP website by Stuart Anderson mentioning this a few years ago but I did not realize the magnitude of the decline. The immediate instinct is to blame President Trump but it appears like the slowdown was already happening prior to his term. For comparison here are some stats from FY 2014

https://www.epi.org/blog/top-10-h-1b...housands-jobs/

Out of curiosity I searched the USCIS database of employers and sequentially the numbers have trended down from that time point (2014) . If this indeed true I fear for the multiple temples,Apna Bazaars and subzimandis that have opened up hoping this stream would flow forever. I am not in the IT field but I was hoping somebody could shed light on what the reasons were. The NFAP piece seems to suggest a change in the business model and the changing technology landscape. Is this just a temporary blip or more of a systemic structural change? If this is true the future immigrant flows will have to be derived from STEM graduates of American Universities

[abcx13]

I did not want to start a thread for this purpose and since this thread clearly deals with legal immigration I felt this would be the best place to post this.
Firstly I think the time has come for HR1044 and similar bills and the ground has clearly shifted in its favor. One would hope that after 11 years of introducing bills with the same language there would be some understanding among Congressmen about the issues and implications favoring passage. I was still hoping that it would be a clean bill without all the H-1B provisions but if that is what it takes then it is what it is. Things will get complicated further if Rep.Lofgren attempts to add her H-1B reform package from 2017

https://lofgren.house.gov/sites/lofg...017__final.pdf

On a different note I saw this table in my news feed and was stunned by the numbers. I am sure the number crunchers in this forum are already aware of its existence but I focus more on legislation and less on procedure

https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/...le-FY-2018.pdf

The outsourcing firms that were dominant till about 5-6 years ago have slowed it down to a trickle. I remember an article on the NFAP website by Stuart Anderson mentioning this a few years ago but I did not realize the magnitude of the decline. The immediate instinct is to blame President Trump but it appears like the slowdown was already happening prior to his term. For comparison here are some stats from FY 2014

https://www.epi.org/blog/top-10-h-1b...housands-jobs/

Out of curiosity I searched the USCIS database of employers and sequentially the numbers have trended down from that time point (2014) . If this indeed true I fear for the multiple temples,Apna Bazaars and subzimandis that have opened up hoping this stream would flow forever. I am not in the IT field but I was hoping somebody could shed light on what the reasons were. The NFAP piece seems to suggest a change in the business model and the changing technology landscape. Is this just a temporary blip or more of a systemic structural change? If this is true the future immigrant flows will have to be derived from STEM graduates of American Universities

I think outsourcing growth is slowing down and then probably also more L1s and EB1Cs instead of H1Bs?

[gs1968]

I think outsourcing growth is slowing down and then probably also more L1s and EB1Cs instead of H1Bs?

I thought that too but then I found this table on the USCIS website and the number of L-1s is less than the H-1B numbers

https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/...ons_010918.pdf

The significance of this is that once the current backlog is cleared with HR1044 passing hopefully the composition of the inventory might look a lot different.

[abcx13]

I thought that too but then I found this table on the USCIS website and the number of L-1s is less than the H-1B numbers

https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/...ons_010918.pdf

The significance of this is that once the current backlog is cleared with HR1044 passing hopefully the composition of the inventory might look a lot different.

Interesting, I did not realize that!

See this also: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com...w/69850507.cms

And this: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com...w/69832748.cms

[tatikonda]

True, but anyway this possibility is years away, with most of our kids not even in teens I presume. Its way better to go abroad for a year and try for EB1C. I was hopeful for many years, now the hope is dead

HR1044 is our hope. With 309 Cosponsors, The Bill is requested to put on consensus calendar.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-...44/all-actions
This should come for voting shortly.
Also IV - Immigration voice claims that, they have inside information that deal is completed in senate to pass this bill.

Motion to place bill on Consensus Calendar filed by Ms. Lofgren.
Action By: House of Representatives

[NJMavarick]

HR1044 is our hope. With 309 Cosponsors, The Bill is requested to put on consensus calendar.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-...44/all-actions
This should come for voting shortly.
Also IV - Immigration voice claims that, they have inside information that deal is completed in senate to pass this bill.

Motion to place bill on Consensus Calendar filed by Ms. Lofgren.
Action By: House of Representatives

I am cautiously optimistic. Just wondering, what is stopping another Senator from putting a hold on this bill? Does it also have to pass the senate appropriations committee?

House is a done deal if it comes to vote. Kudos to all those who work relentlessly towards the passage of this bill.

[newyorker123]

@NJMaverick/@tatikonda, I admire your optimism, but I have seen enough over past few years to know that HR1044 will NOT pass

[NJMavarick]

@NJMaverick/@tatikonda, I admire your optimism, but I have seen enough over past few years to know that HR1044 will NOT pass

Given the past history, I totally understand why this bill MAY not pass but with the H1B amendments and Grassley being on board this COULD see the finish line. Time will tell.

[jimmys]

HR1044 is our hope. With 309 Cosponsors, The Bill is requested to put on consensus calendar.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-...44/all-actions
This should come for voting shortly.
Also IV - Immigration voice claims that, they have inside information that deal is completed in senate to pass this bill.

Motion to place bill on Consensus Calendar filed by Ms. Lofgren.
Action By: House of Representatives

https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-...house-bill/392

With 329 cosponsors this H.R.392 in previous congress went nowhere. Based on past history, this bill H.R.1044 may meet the same fate.

309 cosponsors doesn't guarantee 309 votes when it comes to vote in the house.

[Turbulent_Dragonfly]

As long as Stephen Miller is around, he will not let any changes to immigration quotas happen unless it involves cutting down numbers.

[iatiam]

https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-...house-bill/392

With 329 cosponsors this H.R.392 in previous congress went nowhere. Based on past history, this bill H.R.1044 may meet the same fate.

309 cosponsors doesn't guarantee 309 votes when it comes to vote in the house.

Hmmm Why not? It would be weird to co-sponsor the bill and not vote against it.

Also, the the main opposition to the bill in Senate in 2011 came from two people - Grassley and Sessions. Grassley has added the amendment so I don't see any issue there and Sessions is no longer there. This is the best progress this bill has had in about 8 years.

Iatiam

[smuggymba]

This time the house rules are different under Pelosi and there's something called a "Consensus Calendar" so this HAS to come up for discussion and there's plenty of time this time since it's the beginning of the 116th congress. In the past this bill was always brought up towards the end but this time that's not the case.

Some positive points:

Plenty of time for the 116th congress to end.
Grassley on board
Consensus calendar (new rules)
30+ co-sponsors in the Senate as well.

So, I'm optimistic but in politics anything can happen.