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Immigration See other Immigration Articles Title: Immigration bill to include path to legalization Immigration bill to include path to legalization By Dena Bunis The Orange County Register (MCT) WASHINGTON - A bipartisan immigration bill set to be introduced in the House later this week includes a path to legalization for undocumented immigrants but would also require these residents to leave the United States and return legally before being eligible to change their status. A draft summary of the bill, obtained late Tuesday by the Orange County Register, includes most of the basic elements in the comprehensive immigration bill that passed the Senate. But what will make or break this legislation will be the details. The measure is to be introduced Thursday by Reps. Luis Guitierrez, D-Ill., and Jeff Flake, R-Ariz. The two were expected to jointly introduce their bill in the House with a measure being drafted by Sens. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., and John McCain, R-Ariz. But Kennedy and McCain have been unable to iron out their differences. And while talks continue in the Senate and between lawmakers and the White House, House immigration advocates have decided to go ahead and introduce their bill. The bill includes beefed up border enforcement, a worker verification system, a new worker program for future foreign workers and the legalization plan for the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants now living in the U.S. These are the building blocks for a plan President Bush has continued to say he will support and push for this year. "I applaud my friends Rep. Flake and Gutierrez for moving forward on immigration reform," Kennedy said in a statement in advance of the bill introduction. "They are our valued partners in this effort to forge a tough but fair bill that strikes the right balance between protecting our security, strengthening our economy, and enacting laws that uphold our humanity. "I'm determined to make 2007 the year that we fix our broken system - and while we're still negotiating in the Senate, I'm optimistic that we will have legislation soon. The American people have waited long enough." Rep. John Campbell, R-Calif., said late Tuesday that based on the details available, the Gutierrez-Flake proposal doesn't sound like one he can support. Campbell said he is concerned about how the employment verification system in the bill would be policed and what it would cost to make sure all of the elements of the legalization plan are followed. "Are we going to have a large new bureaucracy that will be checking on these people all the time?" Campbell said. The cost of such an undertaking, he said, "shouldn't come out of the average taxpayer. That should somehow come from these people or the employers who are hiring them." The elements of the Gutierrez-Flake bill include: _A new worker program. This variation on a guest worker program would allow low-skilled people to get jobs here when U.S. workers could not be found to fill a needed job. These employees would be able to change jobs and travel and eventually get on a path to citizenship. The worker visa would be valid for three years and renewable once. This provision is likely to draw fire from those who favor a temporary worker program, under which guest workers would not be able to remain here indefinitely. A group of Republican senators have been working with the White House on their own bill that is expected to include a guest worker program, but not one that would lead to permanent residency. _A legalization plan. Illegal immigrants who pay a fine and pass background checks would be eligible for a conditional status and could work and travel for six years. If during that time they learned English, stayed employed, had clean criminal records, paid fines and back taxes, the immigrants would be eligible for legal status. This plan also includes a requirement that the undocumented immigrants leave the country and reenters legally. It's not clear from the summary available exactly how that would work. Such a provision will likely engender opposition from immigration advocates who would see that as an impediment to some of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants coming forward. But it could make such a plan more palatable to those who say any legalization plan amounts to an amnesty. _Employer verification. Employers would have to verify that the people they hire are legally entitled to work in the U.S. The new system would eventually apply to all employees and all new hires and would be implemented in phases. Penalties would be increased for employers who don't comply with the verification system. Both sides in the immigration debate have been calling for such a provision. _Agriculture. The AgJobs legislation introduced in the House and Senate would be included. This would give a path to legalization and citizenship to an estimated 5 million agriculture workers. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Rep. Howard Berman, D-Calif., have been especially pushing this provision. Feinstein has said she would prefer to start with this plan instead of a broader overall bill. _Education. This provision would allow illegal immigrant students to pay in-state college tuition and also remove current barriers to their getting a higher education and to working. This proposal has had strong bipartisan support in past congresses. _Border security. More border enforcement personnel would be hired and increased technology used to secure the U.S./Mexico border. A North American security perimeter would be established in coordination with Mexico. Both sides in this debate have also called for enhanced border enforcement. But most Republicans favor more border fencing. It is not clear from the initial summary what happens to the increased border fencing Congress approved last year. --- © 2007, The Orange County Register (Santa Ana, Calif.).
Poster Comment: allegedly this bill will be introduced today or tomorrow. I live in Jeff Flake's district. I actually voted for him when he first ran, but not after that. I don't trust him at all. I think the immigration bill will increase the flow of immigrants (including legal & illegal) and I think it will greatly increase the proportion of the work force that is basically indentured servant style worker in that they won't be 'free' to switch jobs if employer treats them badly or under-pays them. I think we're better off as a people with free labor than indentured servant labor. I also think that there's a lot of people who are classified as illegal immigrant, but are very much rooted in our society and it is wrong to just send them back. I know people who are illegal immigrants, but have been here for over 20 years and have families here and deep ties. I guess it is irresponsible for these people to still be in the 'illegal' category as maybe they need to see a lawyer, but I don't feel good about them just being scooped up and treated like semi-slaves which is how they're going to be treated it seems.
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#3. To: Red Jones (#0)
What people is that? There's no such thing as guest worker, and there's no such thing as the American people. Hasn't been since 1964.
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