BostonGCVictim
01-02 04:45 PM
This is from a guy who left after years of waiting. I don't know him personally but his prose is very powerful.
Read it here at http://tired-immigrant.blogspot.com/
Read it here at http://tired-immigrant.blogspot.com/
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eager_immi
07-18 04:22 PM
I love the idea of monthly subscription website what does the core think. This works just like AILA does.
I know many of friends who use IV as recourse for NEWS but they don't register nor contribute. Even after multiple reminders and sarcastic comments they don't. I feel pity for them, they don't understand by registering and contributing they help them self and others. Shouldn�t we make IV a monthly subscription web site? That way we will have only serious members.
I know many of friends who use IV as recourse for NEWS but they don't register nor contribute. Even after multiple reminders and sarcastic comments they don't. I feel pity for them, they don't understand by registering and contributing they help them self and others. Shouldn�t we make IV a monthly subscription web site? That way we will have only serious members.
akhilmahajan
10-22 10:36 AM
Folks I sent email to this address as stated "uscis-complaint@dhs.gov", got bounced back saying it as a wrong email. Does nay one know the correct email to send USCIS complaints to?
"USCIS-COMPLAINT" <uscis-complaint@dhs.gov>
You have emailed an inactive account.
If you are inquiring about the status of documentation you have filed with USCIS, or have a complaint relating generally to the nature of the customer service you have been provided by USCIS, please use our National Customer Service phone number 1-800-375-5283 or visit our website at www.uscis.gov.
If you are a CIS employee and wish to file a complaint regarding credible allegations of criminal misconduct or of very serious misconduct by a USCIS employee, guidance can be found online at htttp://osi.uscis.dhs.gov/. Credible allegations of minor but significant misconduct should be reported directly to the office where you believe they may have occured.
Same thing happened with me.
Anyways will be sending out the letters today so should be fine.
GO I/WE GO.
"USCIS-COMPLAINT" <uscis-complaint@dhs.gov>
You have emailed an inactive account.
If you are inquiring about the status of documentation you have filed with USCIS, or have a complaint relating generally to the nature of the customer service you have been provided by USCIS, please use our National Customer Service phone number 1-800-375-5283 or visit our website at www.uscis.gov.
If you are a CIS employee and wish to file a complaint regarding credible allegations of criminal misconduct or of very serious misconduct by a USCIS employee, guidance can be found online at htttp://osi.uscis.dhs.gov/. Credible allegations of minor but significant misconduct should be reported directly to the office where you believe they may have occured.
Same thing happened with me.
Anyways will be sending out the letters today so should be fine.
GO I/WE GO.
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NH123
12-10 09:39 PM
Friend agree with what you say, but the pain for Jul 07 Misser's is the maximum (Or atleast one of the worst) in the group. I just happened to miss the windfall because my labor was approved couple of months later. For individuals in our group being able to file for 485 is itself equivalent to getting GC as it enables us to get EAD & AP for self and family, if you ask us we don't mind paying the fee. We don�t know when we will reach the Toll Plaza for the 485 tunnel, or where it is right now or how far are we! Every year is part of hoping till the very end, only our optimism lives on.
I share your pain buddy.I also miss the July 2007 fiasco by 1 month due to my &^@#$% lawyer who took 1 year to apply for labor and kept me in dark .The most painful thing is to see my wife's frustration who inspite of job offers can't join becoz company does not want to sponsor.Just being optimistic is the only hope.
I share your pain buddy.I also miss the July 2007 fiasco by 1 month due to my &^@#$% lawyer who took 1 year to apply for labor and kept me in dark .The most painful thing is to see my wife's frustration who inspite of job offers can't join becoz company does not want to sponsor.Just being optimistic is the only hope.
more...
anilnag
02-23 02:29 PM
i thought it meant that you had to wait 4 months after your priority date is current to have any expectation of adjudication... no?
In the guideline for interpreting the dates USCIS hasn't mentioned anything about PD being current. So I think they process applications regardless of PD being current or not
'The table shown below is intended to be a tool for customers to view our processing times. When applications and petitions are completed within our target timeframes, those timeframes will be shown (example: 3 months). If we are not meeting our target timeframes a date will be shown (example: April 16, 2008).'
In the guideline for interpreting the dates USCIS hasn't mentioned anything about PD being current. So I think they process applications regardless of PD being current or not
'The table shown below is intended to be a tool for customers to view our processing times. When applications and petitions are completed within our target timeframes, those timeframes will be shown (example: 3 months). If we are not meeting our target timeframes a date will be shown (example: April 16, 2008).'
guy03062
03-15 08:54 AM
The Executive Business Meeting scheduled by the Committee on the Judiciary, for Wednesday, March 15, 2006 at 9:00 a.m., will take place in Dirksen Room 226. The Mansfield Room, 207-The Capitol, has been reserved if necessary due to Senate votes.
Source: http://judiciary.senate.gov/meeting_notice.cfm?id=1811
Still the same. Does anyone know what time this is supposed to start?
Source: http://judiciary.senate.gov/meeting_notice.cfm?id=1811
Still the same. Does anyone know what time this is supposed to start?
more...
snthampi
09-02 01:09 PM
Landed here in November 2000. Started the GC process in 2004. Could've filed on EB2, but didn't care much when the employer insisted on filing under EB3 for whatever stupid reason. My PD is May 2004 (EB3). It wasn't making much difference then. But, now things are different and EB3 is totally screwed up.
Actually, I am not worried about the GC much, because I am not sure about my future plans. If I make a firm decision to stay, I might reapply in EB2. Life is worth a billion billion times more than the GC. So, let it take its own sweet time. Concentrate on your life and career, and SURELY HAVE A LOT OF FUN BECAUSE LIFE IS SHORT AND YOU LIVE ONLY ONCE.
Actually, I am not worried about the GC much, because I am not sure about my future plans. If I make a firm decision to stay, I might reapply in EB2. Life is worth a billion billion times more than the GC. So, let it take its own sweet time. Concentrate on your life and career, and SURELY HAVE A LOT OF FUN BECAUSE LIFE IS SHORT AND YOU LIVE ONLY ONCE.
2010 David Beckham#39;s Hindi Tattoo
saimrathi
07-18 12:38 PM
I posted this on another thread.. Recapturing lost visa numbers from yester years has to be top priority..
lets fight to recapture Visa numbers from the previous years.. As this article rightly points us, the road ahead:
Not the End of the Road
Still unresolved is the issue of green cards that have gone unused in the past decade or more. USCIS estimates that 10,000 green cards of the 140,000 allotted for employment-based applicants were not issued last year. Immigration Voice estimates that 200,000 in total have gone unused in the last decade. Immigrant advocates have been urging the federal government to offer make these green-card slots available to help relieve the backlog of those waiting for green cards, an estimated 500,000.
Using green cards from previous years would require legislation from Congress. Lofgren says there have been "some discussions going on informally" about whether such a move is possible. But it's no sure thing. It would be difficult to pass such legislation in a Congress that is leery of any immigration issue after a comprehensive reform effort with the support of President George W. Bush and bipartisan leaders in the Senate got shot down earlier this summer.
Meanwhile, immigrant advocates say they will continue to press to speed the process of turning workers with visas into permanent residents. "This [decision] helps us move from a more painful limbo to a less painful limbo, but it's limbo nonetheless," says Immigration Voice's Pradhan. "Adjustment of status is not our final destination; green-card status is."
http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/jul2007/db20070717_923080_page_2.htm:)
lets fight to recapture Visa numbers from the previous years.. As this article rightly points us, the road ahead:
Not the End of the Road
Still unresolved is the issue of green cards that have gone unused in the past decade or more. USCIS estimates that 10,000 green cards of the 140,000 allotted for employment-based applicants were not issued last year. Immigration Voice estimates that 200,000 in total have gone unused in the last decade. Immigrant advocates have been urging the federal government to offer make these green-card slots available to help relieve the backlog of those waiting for green cards, an estimated 500,000.
Using green cards from previous years would require legislation from Congress. Lofgren says there have been "some discussions going on informally" about whether such a move is possible. But it's no sure thing. It would be difficult to pass such legislation in a Congress that is leery of any immigration issue after a comprehensive reform effort with the support of President George W. Bush and bipartisan leaders in the Senate got shot down earlier this summer.
Meanwhile, immigrant advocates say they will continue to press to speed the process of turning workers with visas into permanent residents. "This [decision] helps us move from a more painful limbo to a less painful limbo, but it's limbo nonetheless," says Immigration Voice's Pradhan. "Adjustment of status is not our final destination; green-card status is."
http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/jul2007/db20070717_923080_page_2.htm:)
more...
panky72
06-24 10:59 PM
shouldn't we think a little about our gain too ;) ..
:DAgreed.
:DAgreed.
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amitga
02-26 04:08 PM
Hopefully this center would be processing 485 backlogs with the same rate by end of this year.
more...
Macaca
09-14 09:22 AM
Is It Fixed Yet? (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/showpost.php?p=162079&postcount=1055) NY Times Editorial (editorial@nytimes.com, executive-editor@nytimes.com, managing-editor@nytimes.com), September 9, 2007
Suit Planned Over Visas for the Highly Skilled (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/showpost.php?p=101240&postcount=620) By JULIA PRESTON (juliapreston@nytimes.com) | New York Times, July 6, 2007
A Floral Protest Over Job-Based Visas (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/showpost.php?p=106380&postcount=682) By NINA BERNSTEIN (nbernstein@nytimes.com| New York Times, July 11, 2007
Suit Planned Over Visas for the Highly Skilled (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/showpost.php?p=101240&postcount=620) By JULIA PRESTON (juliapreston@nytimes.com) | New York Times, July 6, 2007
A Floral Protest Over Job-Based Visas (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/showpost.php?p=106380&postcount=682) By NINA BERNSTEIN (nbernstein@nytimes.com| New York Times, July 11, 2007
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Green.Tech
06-10 08:39 PM
..on top!
more...
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anilsal
07-16 12:37 PM
have posted info on this campaign to their chapters. I am sure this high-five campaign will be a great success. Keep the fire on.
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ind_game
05-15 10:13 AM
Hi ind_game,
For me, 1. I-140 approval in September, 2007 (actually 09/04/2009 as I have the hard copy) has typo. I think your 09/04/2009 should be 2007.
Please correct.
I have corrected my previous post. thanks ak_2006
For me, 1. I-140 approval in September, 2007 (actually 09/04/2009 as I have the hard copy) has typo. I think your 09/04/2009 should be 2007.
Please correct.
I have corrected my previous post. thanks ak_2006
more...
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Ram_C
09-28 06:52 PM
not that it makes a huge difference, are they atleast trying to use some of the visa numbers by working over this weekend???
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gc28262
08-12 11:22 AM
This will infact increase offshoring.
These companies will pay the extra fees, but will change their onshore/offshore model. Will use less H1/L1 visas , but will increase the headcount of offshore operations.
So the smart senator will force more jobs to be outsourced. These jobs will never comeback once gone. If we look back at the 2000 recession, it caused a major shift in the way US companies looked at outsourcing. Pre-2000 many companies didn't believe that all jobs could be outsourced. 2000 recession forced them to think otherwise.
These kind of bills will cause a re-thinking in corporate america's thought process. They will think of creative ways to outsource. Against this senator's hopes, it will reduce jobs here.
These companies will pay the extra fees, but will change their onshore/offshore model. Will use less H1/L1 visas , but will increase the headcount of offshore operations.
So the smart senator will force more jobs to be outsourced. These jobs will never comeback once gone. If we look back at the 2000 recession, it caused a major shift in the way US companies looked at outsourcing. Pre-2000 many companies didn't believe that all jobs could be outsourced. 2000 recession forced them to think otherwise.
These kind of bills will cause a re-thinking in corporate america's thought process. They will think of creative ways to outsource. Against this senator's hopes, it will reduce jobs here.
more...
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nave_kum
07-22 02:40 PM
There's no logic whatsoever in these calculations. Somebody is spending unnecessary time in his room to come up with such analogies.
First of all, all of this is sheer assumptions. Secondly...oh forget it who cares...why waste OUR time on this blog at all?
Guyz...all I can say is...v have opened USCIS' eyes and they're determined to improve the process. Things will start happening ...Just wait N watch. Go watch a movie or something!!!
P.S: Patience Pays....Always!!!:)
First of all, all of this is sheer assumptions. Secondly...oh forget it who cares...why waste OUR time on this blog at all?
Guyz...all I can say is...v have opened USCIS' eyes and they're determined to improve the process. Things will start happening ...Just wait N watch. Go watch a movie or something!!!
P.S: Patience Pays....Always!!!:)
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TeddyKoochu
12-10 07:28 PM
I left old job 10 months before July 07. But attorney at new employer did mistake with advertisement, and PERM got rejected. Applied again, and USCIS audited all Fragomen cases, so mine stuck there attorney being Fragomen. By then July 07 was gone. In Sept 08 again my PD (Nov 05) was current but I was stuck with Audit.... Finally I got PERM approved, 140 approved, but since then NOV 05 is far far away....
I think with a little luck you may cross the line this year, it maybe a close shave or a diving effort, all the best and best wishes. Maybe 2010 is the year for you.
I think with a little luck you may cross the line this year, it maybe a close shave or a diving effort, all the best and best wishes. Maybe 2010 is the year for you.
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satishku_2000
07-09 05:41 PM
92807 here ...
santa123
07-05 03:25 PM
mbawa2574 for IV president. Anyone?
Dude if you do not like something, why don't you start your own aggressive organization. You do not do squat on IV and only whined.
ganguteli for IV President and Public relations:D:D
Anyone? why not?
Dude if you do not like something, why don't you start your own aggressive organization. You do not do squat on IV and only whined.
ganguteli for IV President and Public relations:D:D
Anyone? why not?
baburob2
03-15 06:25 PM
Overall no big progress w.r.t our title's though Brownback's comment on immigration numbers is good.
Senate Judiciary Committee Continues Slow Progress in Markup of Immigration Reform Legislation
Cite as "AILA InfoNet Doc. No. 06031540 (posted Mar. 15, 2006)"
The Senate Judiciary Committee continued its consideration today of draft legislation on comprehensive immigration reform sponsored by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter. The Committee officially took up the bill, known as the �Chairman�s Mark,� on March 2 but has made very slow progress to date.
The following is a very brief summary of the amendments that were addressed during today�s session. See our previous update on last week�s markup sessions. We will continue to update you as action on the bill continues.
1. The Committee passed by a voice vote a compromise amendment by Feingold that would preserve some level of judicial review over naturalization applications.
2. A Specter 2nd degree amendment to a Sessions amendment on evading inspection passed.
3. A Leahy amendment on security-related issues passed by voice vote.
4. A Kennedy amendment to ameliorate the Mark�s retroactive provisions was debated and deferred.
5. A Feinstein amendment to modify the provisions of the Mark relating to border security was deferred for future action.
6. A Durbin amendment to strike the Mark�s criminalization of unlawful status was once again deferred for future consideration. Feinstein attempted to offer a 2nd degree amendment that would provide aliens with a 60-day grace period for visa overstays before they are subject to criminal prosecution under INA � 275(a), but Specter would not allow it since Durbin�s underlying amendment was set aside.
7. A Durbin amendment to ameliorate the Mark�s smuggling provision so as not to criminalize humanitarian assistance was once again debated and deferred. Kyl spoke in opposition to the amendment. Cornyn had a second degree that Hatch thought was insufficient. Hatch, Schumer and Biden spoke in opposition to Cornyn�s 2nd degree. Cornyn was not convincing, but Kyl did some damage.
8. A Sessions amendment to affirm the inherent authority of state and local law enforcement personnel to enforce federal civil immigration laws during the normal course of carrying out their duties was discussed. Specter offered a 2nd degree that would limit the inherent authority of states and localities to the enforcement of the criminal provisions of the immigration laws. Sessions would only support the 2nd degree if the provisions of the Mark criminalizing unlawful presence remain intact. Thus, if the Durbin amendment to strike those provisions passes, Sessions wants to revisit the Specter 2nd degree. Specter�s 2nd degree passed by voice vote.
9. A Sessions amendment that would require the Secretary of Homeland Security to provide information to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) related to aliens who may have violated certain immigration laws passed by a voice vote. The broadly worded amendment would encompass visa overstayers, other civil violators, and even members of vulnerable populations such as asylum-seekers who are improperly documented but seeking relief. Leahy and Kennedy voted against the amendment and Leahy spoke in opposition to overloading the NCIC database with individuals who do not belong in it. A Specter 2nd degree amendment that would provide a procedure for requesting removal from the database and modify the group of individuals included in it passed by voice vote.
10. A Sessions amendment that would require at least one law enforcement agency in each state to enter into a � 287(g) cooperative enforcement agreement to enforce immigration laws against alien smugglers was considered. Sessions accepted a Coburn 2nd degree amendment that would clarify: (1) that such agreements would be purely voluntary, and (2) that the �287(g) enforcement authority would not be limited to alien smuggling. There was no quorum to vote on these, however, and they were set aside.
Part way through the markup, Specter attempted to jump to a debate on the issue of the undocumented population, noting that he has reiterated to Senate Majority Leader Frist that he (Specter) opposes bringing immigration reform to the Senate Floor before the Senate Judiciary Committee had completed its consideration of the Chairman�s Mark. Biden and Kennedy voiced their support of Specter�s desire to complete work in Committee. Kennedy added, �this issue is NOT going away, like some other issues,� and urged deferral of the Title VI discussion until tomorrow (Title VI contains the provisions dealing with the undocumented population). He added that we need to deal with ALL aspects of reform to have real, lasting border security�going forward with any of these components alone will fail.
Durbin said that, to defeat the House bill (H.R. 4437), the Committee needs to pass a strong bipartisan bill with the support of about 12 members. He feels the Committee should do an extra markup session on a day when there is no other Senate business. �We need to watch the House,� noted Durbin, adding: �They have a bill we need to fight at all costs. We need bipartisan support out of this Committee.�
Brownback stated that the Committee has started a process to create broad bipartisan support for good policy, and that this is the most significant legislation of the year. �We have serious problems with immigrant numbers,� he said. �We can�t live with these and need to change them. McCain/Kennedy would deal with this. How do we get the Mark to deal with these numbers? We need a way NOT to end up here again after 10 years. We can�t move too quickly.�
Cornyn described the process as akin to �digging out of a big hole,� noting that with enforcement done first, other issues would get simpler. He believes we need to impose circularity---not permanent immigration.
Coburn said that, like it or not, we have to deal with issue of the undocumented population. He urged the Committee to split the bill in two and do enforcement first, and work to reach consensus on other parts later in the year. �No one in the country trusts us on this issue because we haven�t enforced our existing laws,� he said.
Feinstein stated her concerns about the process, and also spoke out against comprehensive immigration reform and in favor of her more limited agricultural pilot program idea. She said she had met with Senator Craig (the sponsor of AgJobs) yesterday to see if they could work out their differences but there has been no resolution yet. She also expressed much frustration with Frist�s artificial timeline. She indicated her opposition to the House bill, and said that consensus was needed in the Committee (she believes the Committee has come to some consensus on the enforcement pieces but little else). She urged Specter to go back to Frist and ask for more time.
Sessions said we need to focus on enforcement now, and then have a national discussion later on the other elements of immigration reform. He believes Congress needs to focus on enforcement to build credibility with the public. �I�m not prepared to repeat 1986,� he said. �We should slow down.�
Specter repeatedly voiced his concern about �line-jumping,� arguing that the McCain/Kennedy bill would �leap frog� the current undocumented population over individuals who have been waiting in the backlogs. He also said that he�d prefer it if the legislation contained a path to citizenship but, as Chair, was trying to balance both sides.
In other hurdles to the Judiciary Committee�s completion of work on the bill, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Grassley, who is also a member of the Judiciary Committee, argued that the Finance Committee should have jurisdiction over the provisions of the Mark relating to the Social Security Act, adding that the IRS has raised serious concerns about some of these amendments. However, several other senators argued for consideration of these provisions in the Judiciary Committee. It is also possible that Grassley could exercise the Finance Committee�s authority by managing those amendments during floor debate.
The Committee disbanded about noon, due to a number of votes on the Senate Floor and the attendant low probability of maintaining a voting quorum in the Committee.
http://www.aila.org/content/default.aspx?docid=18835
Senate Judiciary Committee Continues Slow Progress in Markup of Immigration Reform Legislation
Cite as "AILA InfoNet Doc. No. 06031540 (posted Mar. 15, 2006)"
The Senate Judiciary Committee continued its consideration today of draft legislation on comprehensive immigration reform sponsored by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter. The Committee officially took up the bill, known as the �Chairman�s Mark,� on March 2 but has made very slow progress to date.
The following is a very brief summary of the amendments that were addressed during today�s session. See our previous update on last week�s markup sessions. We will continue to update you as action on the bill continues.
1. The Committee passed by a voice vote a compromise amendment by Feingold that would preserve some level of judicial review over naturalization applications.
2. A Specter 2nd degree amendment to a Sessions amendment on evading inspection passed.
3. A Leahy amendment on security-related issues passed by voice vote.
4. A Kennedy amendment to ameliorate the Mark�s retroactive provisions was debated and deferred.
5. A Feinstein amendment to modify the provisions of the Mark relating to border security was deferred for future action.
6. A Durbin amendment to strike the Mark�s criminalization of unlawful status was once again deferred for future consideration. Feinstein attempted to offer a 2nd degree amendment that would provide aliens with a 60-day grace period for visa overstays before they are subject to criminal prosecution under INA � 275(a), but Specter would not allow it since Durbin�s underlying amendment was set aside.
7. A Durbin amendment to ameliorate the Mark�s smuggling provision so as not to criminalize humanitarian assistance was once again debated and deferred. Kyl spoke in opposition to the amendment. Cornyn had a second degree that Hatch thought was insufficient. Hatch, Schumer and Biden spoke in opposition to Cornyn�s 2nd degree. Cornyn was not convincing, but Kyl did some damage.
8. A Sessions amendment to affirm the inherent authority of state and local law enforcement personnel to enforce federal civil immigration laws during the normal course of carrying out their duties was discussed. Specter offered a 2nd degree that would limit the inherent authority of states and localities to the enforcement of the criminal provisions of the immigration laws. Sessions would only support the 2nd degree if the provisions of the Mark criminalizing unlawful presence remain intact. Thus, if the Durbin amendment to strike those provisions passes, Sessions wants to revisit the Specter 2nd degree. Specter�s 2nd degree passed by voice vote.
9. A Sessions amendment that would require the Secretary of Homeland Security to provide information to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) related to aliens who may have violated certain immigration laws passed by a voice vote. The broadly worded amendment would encompass visa overstayers, other civil violators, and even members of vulnerable populations such as asylum-seekers who are improperly documented but seeking relief. Leahy and Kennedy voted against the amendment and Leahy spoke in opposition to overloading the NCIC database with individuals who do not belong in it. A Specter 2nd degree amendment that would provide a procedure for requesting removal from the database and modify the group of individuals included in it passed by voice vote.
10. A Sessions amendment that would require at least one law enforcement agency in each state to enter into a � 287(g) cooperative enforcement agreement to enforce immigration laws against alien smugglers was considered. Sessions accepted a Coburn 2nd degree amendment that would clarify: (1) that such agreements would be purely voluntary, and (2) that the �287(g) enforcement authority would not be limited to alien smuggling. There was no quorum to vote on these, however, and they were set aside.
Part way through the markup, Specter attempted to jump to a debate on the issue of the undocumented population, noting that he has reiterated to Senate Majority Leader Frist that he (Specter) opposes bringing immigration reform to the Senate Floor before the Senate Judiciary Committee had completed its consideration of the Chairman�s Mark. Biden and Kennedy voiced their support of Specter�s desire to complete work in Committee. Kennedy added, �this issue is NOT going away, like some other issues,� and urged deferral of the Title VI discussion until tomorrow (Title VI contains the provisions dealing with the undocumented population). He added that we need to deal with ALL aspects of reform to have real, lasting border security�going forward with any of these components alone will fail.
Durbin said that, to defeat the House bill (H.R. 4437), the Committee needs to pass a strong bipartisan bill with the support of about 12 members. He feels the Committee should do an extra markup session on a day when there is no other Senate business. �We need to watch the House,� noted Durbin, adding: �They have a bill we need to fight at all costs. We need bipartisan support out of this Committee.�
Brownback stated that the Committee has started a process to create broad bipartisan support for good policy, and that this is the most significant legislation of the year. �We have serious problems with immigrant numbers,� he said. �We can�t live with these and need to change them. McCain/Kennedy would deal with this. How do we get the Mark to deal with these numbers? We need a way NOT to end up here again after 10 years. We can�t move too quickly.�
Cornyn described the process as akin to �digging out of a big hole,� noting that with enforcement done first, other issues would get simpler. He believes we need to impose circularity---not permanent immigration.
Coburn said that, like it or not, we have to deal with issue of the undocumented population. He urged the Committee to split the bill in two and do enforcement first, and work to reach consensus on other parts later in the year. �No one in the country trusts us on this issue because we haven�t enforced our existing laws,� he said.
Feinstein stated her concerns about the process, and also spoke out against comprehensive immigration reform and in favor of her more limited agricultural pilot program idea. She said she had met with Senator Craig (the sponsor of AgJobs) yesterday to see if they could work out their differences but there has been no resolution yet. She also expressed much frustration with Frist�s artificial timeline. She indicated her opposition to the House bill, and said that consensus was needed in the Committee (she believes the Committee has come to some consensus on the enforcement pieces but little else). She urged Specter to go back to Frist and ask for more time.
Sessions said we need to focus on enforcement now, and then have a national discussion later on the other elements of immigration reform. He believes Congress needs to focus on enforcement to build credibility with the public. �I�m not prepared to repeat 1986,� he said. �We should slow down.�
Specter repeatedly voiced his concern about �line-jumping,� arguing that the McCain/Kennedy bill would �leap frog� the current undocumented population over individuals who have been waiting in the backlogs. He also said that he�d prefer it if the legislation contained a path to citizenship but, as Chair, was trying to balance both sides.
In other hurdles to the Judiciary Committee�s completion of work on the bill, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Grassley, who is also a member of the Judiciary Committee, argued that the Finance Committee should have jurisdiction over the provisions of the Mark relating to the Social Security Act, adding that the IRS has raised serious concerns about some of these amendments. However, several other senators argued for consideration of these provisions in the Judiciary Committee. It is also possible that Grassley could exercise the Finance Committee�s authority by managing those amendments during floor debate.
The Committee disbanded about noon, due to a number of votes on the Senate Floor and the attendant low probability of maintaining a voting quorum in the Committee.
http://www.aila.org/content/default.aspx?docid=18835
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