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A project of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly (RNHA)

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Immigration Bills

Congress continues to debate immigraiton reform. Below find major bills tackeled during the 109th Congress (2005-2006) and the current 110th Congress (2007 - 2008).

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110th Congress

House Bill

STRIVE Act Submitted by Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez (D-IL)

The following is a summary of the major provisions of the "Security Through Regularized Immigration and a Vibrant Economy Act of 2007" (STRIVE ACT). Summary of STRIVE ACT

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109th Congress

Congressional Field Hearings

The House and Senate have taken the immigration debate on the road, hosting a series of Congressional Field Hearings the the many different aspects of the immigration reform legislation.

For a full listing:  July - August Immigration Congressional Hearings.pdf (last updated July 21, 2006)

Senate Bills

The senate is currently debating the border security and immigration reform legislation.

S.2611 - Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act (CIRA)
Summary of Debate, day by day:

Chairman's Mark - Filed by Republican Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The bill takes proposals from other Senate bills and creates a comprehensive legislation. The latest version of the bill - Senate Judiciary Immigration Bill.

The final committee bill has strong language to increased border security, read more - New Border and Interior Security Provisions. Here is an analysis of all the amendments approved by the National Immigration Forum.

S.2454. Filed by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN), the bill is titled Securing America’s Borders Act (SABA). SABA focuses on border security and interior law enforcement. Here is a Section-by-Section review.

Sen. Hagel/Martinez Amendment - a compromise amendment building on the consensus in the Senate which places illegal immigrants in a three tired system.

Sen. Alexander Amendment - based on Alexander’s Strengthening American Citizenship Act which encourages legal immigrants who are prospective citizens to become American by learning English, American history and our way of government.

S.1033. Filed by Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. Would offer temporary work permits inside the United States if undocumented residents pay $1,500 fine. Temporary workers could apply for green cards.

S.1438. Filed by Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Jon Kyl of Arizona. Would resemble President Bush's proposal for temporary worker program, but would require illegal immigrants to obtain permits outside the country and would not let them apply for green cards.

This is bill is probably the most similar to President's Bush initial blueprint. The guest worker program does not provide any path for permanent residency and eventual citizenship to those that apply. The main thing that this bill is lacking is sufficient amendments to the existing permanent immigration system to provide those that participate in the guest worker program, that wish to immigrate permanently, a reasonable path for permanent residency and eventual citizenship.

See also this editorial by Senator Cornyn on the need to have a guest worker program applicable to undocumented residents.

S.1919. Filed by Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska. Would offer green cards, but to qualify migrants would have to meet stringent requirements.

S.2075. Filed by Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill. Titled Development, Relief and Education For Alien Minors or DREAM Act, it would offer legal residence to children of illegals so they can go to college and get a job.

Several side by side comparisons of these bills are available:

House Bill

H.R. 4437. Submitted by Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis.

The following is a summary of the major provisions of H.R. 4437, the Border Protection, Anti-Terrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005. The legislation passed the House of Representatives 239-182 on Friday, December 16, 2005 (see vote tally).

  •  “Unlawful presence” would now be considered a crime and a felony, meaning that undocumented immigrants may have to serve jail time and would be barred from future legal status and from re-entry into the country.
  • 191 Democrats in the house voted to keep this a felony instead of a misdemeanor. (See roll call on this failed amendment to the bill).
  •  Immigrants, including asylum-seekers, victims of human trafficking, victims of domestic abuse, and children who are apprehended along an international border or at a port-of-entry would be detained until such time as they are removed from the nation or otherwise provided immigration relief.
  •  Anyone or any organization who “assists” an individual without documentation “to reside in or remain” in the United States knowingly or with “reckless disregard” as to the individual’s legal status would be liable for criminal penalties and five years in prison. This could include church personnel who provide shelter or other basic needs assistance to an undocumented individual. Property used in this act would be subject to seizure and forfeiture.
  •  The use of expedited removal, which would permit DHS enforcement personnel to remove a potential asylum-seeker without providing an opportunity to appear before an immigration judge or qualified adjudicator, would be mandated within 100 miles of the border and within 14 days of a person’s entry into the country.
  •  The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would be required to erect up to 700 miles of fencing along the Southwest border at points with the highest number of immigrant deaths.
  •  State and local law enforcement are authorized to enforce federal immigration laws. State and local governments which refuse to participate would be subject to the loss of federal funding.
  •  Asylum seekers and refugees who are convicted of a minor offense, such as petty theft, would be barred from permanent legal residence and eventual citizenship.
  •  Document fraud would be considered an aggravated felony and would subject an asylum-seeker to deportation and bars to re-entry.
  •  Nationals from countries who do not accept the return of aliens who commit crimes in this country would not be admitted to the United States. This would include countries such as China, Vietnam, and Cuba.
  •  DHS would be given the authority to continue to detain individuals who have served their sentences based upon a determination that they are a “dangerous alien,” contrary to Supreme Court rulings barring indefinite detention.
  •  The diversity visa lottery program, which allows 50,000 immigrants each year from countries around the world to permanently reside in the United States, is eliminated.

Furthermore this bill provides no new avenues for legal immigration.

We ask that you TAKE ACTION and communicate to your member of congress your objections to this bill.

For some commentaries on this bill see:

 

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Last modified: 04/24/07