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

[rupen86]

From **:
On the green card side, here are the positive changes in the Hatch-Schumer amendment -

1.) Allow filing Adjustment of status when the visa number is not available per the visa bulletin meaning EB applicants can file I-485 concurrently with I-140, as soon as the labor certification is approved. 6 months after filing I-485, EB applicants can change jobs/employers.

2.) If you change the job on AC21, your petitioning employer cannot withdraw immigrant petition. People have to go through all sorts of head-ache and risk changing jobs on AC21 due to the fear of backlash of the employer.

These two changes are designed to allow people to change jobs/employers quickly.

Because employers cannot have more than 15% employees on H-1, employers will have an incentive to apply for green cards quickly, meaning getting labor certifications quickly, meaning having the ability to change jobs/employers quickly, without risking green card petition.

Hope this makes sense.

Inclusion of this amendment is a big win for us. The exclusion of this in the original bill was very surprising and frustrating.

[gcq]

Inclusion of this amendment is a big win for us. The exclusion of this in the original bill was very surprising and frustrating.

Agree, this is big. This will let us off the H1B label quickly which is what makes our life hell here.

[Jonty Rhodes]

I guess this was expected in Republican controlled House.

http://www.heraldonline.com/2013/05/...ms-senate.html

Statement of House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Bob Goodlatte

http://judiciary.house.gov/news/2013...005222013.html

[gs1968]

The House is the place to watch.This legislation will pass on Republican terms only

"THE LEDE: House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) will unveil an immigration bill that will boost the number of visas for highly skilled workers at an event Thursday morning.

The Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Lifelong Skills, called the Skills Act for short, includes many policy measures that the tech industry has lobbied for. Representatives from the Consumer Electronics Association and Compete America are slated to speak in favor of the bill at the event.

Issa's bill is the third piece of immigration legislation that's been put forward in the House Judiciary Committee this year. Goodlatte has said he wants to tackle immigration reform in a piecemeal fashion by introducing bills that cover each issue in the larger debate.

The Skills Act will be introduced before a bipartisan group of eight House members puts forward comprehensive immigration reform legislation, which will also cover modified rules for high-skilled workers. After months of secret negotiations, the bipartisan group reached an "agreement in principle" on legislation last week and its members are furiously working to finalize bill text.

The two separate bills have made tech companies question which piece of legislation will be put to a vote on the floor.

A draft copy of Issa's measure shows it would significantly increase the number of H-1B visas available to highly skilled workers and make 55,000 green cards available to foreign graduates of U.S. universities with advanced degrees in STEM disciples (science, technology, math and engineering). It would also increase the fees that employers would pay for H-1B visas and green cards, and the additional money would go towards a fund dedicated to improving STEM education funds in the U.S.

However, Democrats may find fault with Issa's bill because it proposes to eliminate the diversity visa program. The Congressional Black Caucus and House Democrats have pushed back against previous attempts to cut the program, which awards visas by a random selection process to countries with low rates of immigration to the U.S.

[gs1968]

To Jonty Rhodes
I watched a recording of the hearing yesterday and it was not as negative as the headline might suggest. There is definitely more enthusiasm to be expected on the Democratic side than on the GOP. Apart from the usual immigration hawks-some GOP members of the Committee especially Spencer Bachus of Alabama were more receptive and reasonable. However the GOP has a 6 member majority in the House Judiciary Committee and we will need more help from the GOP members to get amendments through.
This from the CSM today

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politic...entryLeadStory

There was another hearing which did not get much attention in the drama surrounding the Senate proceedings and will need to be watched carefully.This is the fight for the agricultural workers

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politic...entryLeadStory

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/201...tion-bill.html

[gs1968]

What I have been able to learn so far about the House High-Tech Bill introduced this AM by Reps.Issa & Goodlatte

http://techcrunch.com/2013/05/23/con...ntribute-here/

The text of the Bill is here

http://www.scribd.com/doc/143131145/The-SKILLS-Visa-Act

The total number of immigrant visas increases to 235000 by absorbing the eliminated DV lottery and FB sibling category. There is an extra 25000 visas for spouses and children. I am unable to clearly understand the country cap requirements on Page 52 and 53 as I am still at work and do not have the time to compare with the INA

PS-Saw this tweet on Rep.Issa's virtual chat which confirms the removal of per-country cap

"the #SKILLSVisa Act eliminates the per-country caps. Provides fairness by individual, not by country"

[Spectator]

What I have been able to learn so far about the House High-Tech Bill introduced this AM by Reps.Issa & Goodlatte

http://techcrunch.com/2013/05/23/con...ntribute-here/

The text of the Bill is here

http://www.scribd.com/doc/143131145/The-SKILLS-Visa-Act

The total number of immigrant visas increases to 235000 by absorbing the eliminated DV lottery and FB sibling category. There is an extra 25000 visas for spouses and children. I am unable to clearly understand the country cap requirements on Page 52 and 53 as I am still at work and do not have the time to compare with the INA

PS-Saw this tweet on Rep.Issa's virtual chat which confirms the removal of per-country cap

"the #SKILLSVisa Act eliminates the per-country caps. Provides fairness by individual, not by country"

The text of the Bill is also here http://judiciary.house.gov/news/2013/ISSA_058_xml.pdf

[gs1968]

Thanks Spec
More info here

http://thehill.com/blogs/hillicon-va...iversity-visas

Some highlights

1.green cards would first be made available to foreign graduates with Ph.D.s from American universities in the so-called STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and math). Any remaining green cards would go to graduates with master's degrees in those technical disciplines.

2. Increases the H-1B visa cap to 155,000 from the existing cap of 65,000.

3. It would also increase the number of visas set aside for foreign graduates with advanced degrees from American universities that are exempt from the visa cap. The bill would boost that number to 40,000 visas from the existing limit of 20,000.

4.It would authorize spouses of green card holders to work in the U.S ( I think they mean H-1B visa holders and not Green card holders)

5.Eliminate the per-country cap for employment-based visas.

6.Set aside 10,000 green cards for entrepreneurs who have secured at least $500,000 from a venture capital firm or at least $100,000 from an angel investor.

[gs1968]

A couple of tweets

"It's all good," says Raul Labrador in House #immigration agreement. But others decline comment as they leave meeting.

Eric cantor-The House remains committed to fixing our broken immigration system, but we will not simply take up and accept the bill from the Senate.

[vedu]

House Speaker John Boehner promised Thursday that the House would pass its own version of immigration reform.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...m-will-happen/

[qesehmk]

It means House will pass EB reforms legislation (most likely ex all or some of FB).

House Speaker John Boehner promised Thursday that the House would pass its own version of immigration reform.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...m-will-happen/

[gs1968]

This is further confirmation of above posts.And unlike previous claims-it appears like all the House Senior Leadership members and Judiciary committee members are on the same page

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Governm...medium=twitter

[gs1968]

I found 2 articles with quotes from Mr.Boehner & Ms.Pelosi indicating house passage of legislation and possible conferencing in August

http://www.rollcall.com/news/house_i...-225114-1.html

"She (Ms.Pelosi)told reporters she is hopeful a bill can move to conference with the Senate before the August recess."

http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/05/2...-resolves.html

"Officials said Boehner has privately said he hopes to have a bill through the House by August, though there is no strategy yet on what it would include"

[vizcard]

I found 2 articles with quotes from Mr.Boehner & Ms.Pelosi indicating house passage of legislation and possible conferencing in August

http://www.rollcall.com/news/house_i...-225114-1.html

"She (Ms.Pelosi)told reporters she is hopeful a bill can move to conference with the Senate before the August recess."

http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/05/2...-resolves.html

"Officials said Boehner has privately said he hopes to have a bill through the House by August, though there is no strategy yet on what it would include"

I'll believe it when I see a draft bill first

[rupen86]

Thanks Spec
More info here

http://thehill.com/blogs/hillicon-va...iversity-visas

Some highlights

1.green cards would first be made available to foreign graduates with Ph.D.s from American universities in the so-called STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and math). Any remaining green cards would go to graduates with master's degrees in those technical disciplines.

2. Increases the H-1B visa cap to 155,000 from the existing cap of 65,000.

3. It would also increase the number of visas set aside for foreign graduates with advanced degrees from American universities that are exempt from the visa cap. The bill would boost that number to 40,000 visas from the existing limit of 20,000.

4.It would authorize spouses of green card holders to work in the U.S ( I think they mean H-1B visa holders and not Green card holders)

5.Eliminate the per-country cap for employment-based visas.

6.Set aside 10,000 green cards for entrepreneurs who have secured at least $500,000 from a venture capital firm or at least $100,000 from an angel investor.

Senate bill seems much better than this one because I do not see following things.

1) Recapture
2) Not counting dependents
3) Not counting EB1 and some EB2 people against quota
3) Early filing of 485

[gs1968]

To viz

This might help to cement your skepticism

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/0...lks-91849.html

[kkruna]

Excellent rebuttal of K Palinkas of USCIS Union:

http://blog.cyrusmehta.com/

[gcq]

Excellent rebuttal of K Palinkas of USCIS Union:

http://blog.cyrusmehta.com/

Good one !
This site many times comes up with powerful and well thought about articles.

[chengisk]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-...-senator-says/

Sen. Menendez: 'Immigration reform bill lacks enough votes'
Sen. Hatch: 'I will add more amendments later'
Spk. Boehner: 'House will work it's will'

Hope they come to a settlement soon!

[gs1968]

The only reason I post this link is because Senator Heller may be a possible yes vote.He already has a stake in the legislation due to the High-tech provisions

http://m.reviewjournal.com/opinion/b...#disqus_thread

[seahawks2012]

When would the CIR bill be taken up in Senate floor?

Looking at the Senate calendar, the work days are: July 1- July 5 (except July 4th); Aug 1 - Sep 6 (except Sep 2); Oct 14-18;
http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/leg...3_schedule.htm

The earliest this would take up for vote would be in August '13 ...

[gs1968]

To seahawks
The Senate will start on June 10th according to Sen.Reid's spokesman and will be voted on before July 4

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-0...tion-bill.html

The House is a different story as they will only unveil their package at around the time the Senate starts floor proceedings. They will then start hearings/markups/amendments/reporting etc and I am not quite sure that Ms.Pelosi's optimism is justified

http://www.suntimes.com/news/sweet/2...losi-says.html

[indiani]

[QUOTE=gs1968;35622]To seahawks
The Senate will start on June 10th according to Sen.Reid's spokesman and will be voted on before July 4


It almost certainly might pass senate.

The House is a different story as they will only unveil their package at around the time the Senate starts floor proceedings. They will then start hearings/markups/amendments/reporting etc and I am not quite sure that Ms.Pelosi's optimism is justified

Boehner will not take S 744 , he will introduce "House gang of 8" bill, it might not be voted upon until the end of the year an chances of passing are far less than senate as there will be republican primaries and almost all republicans will not vote for amnesty.

You can call me pessimist or realist, the Odds of CIR becoming law are less than 10%.
I have attended meeting with congressman on behalf of ** and have been actively involved in lobbying for a while.

[indiani]

To seahawks
The Senate will start on June 10th according to Sen.Reid's spokesman and will be voted on before July 4

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-0...tion-bill.html

The House is a different story as they will only unveil their package at around the time the Senate starts floor proceedings. They will then start hearings/markups/amendments/reporting etc and I am not quite sure that Ms.Pelosi's optimism is justified

http://www.suntimes.com/news/sweet/2...losi-says.html

Politicians always sound optimistic to raise money and to appease base. The speaker and committee both will try their best to kill the bill by dragging it and putting poison amendments which democrats find unacceptable., its far easy to kill a bill rather than to pass

[gcq]

I have attended meeting with congressman on behalf of ** and have been actively involved in lobbying for a while.

Are you being pessimist based on your recent meetings or the ones you had in the past ?