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Senate Immigration Bill

By Christopher

I've been looking over the immigration compromise put out by the US Senate yesterday and a lot of it is still unclear, but this is what I've been able to figure out:

1. The bill will build more fences along the Mexican border and step up border enforcement. (Stupid waste of resources, as this is really just a big show for anti-immigrant folks).
2. Employment-based green cards would be replaced by a merit "point" system. (Not entirely clear what this means).
3. Reconfigures who can petition for relatives.
4. Creates a new "Z" nonimmigrant visa for undocumented folks currently in the US. (Good thing).
5. Increases funding for USCIS. (Good thing).
6. Reduces wait time from three to eight years for LPR under the proposed DREAM Act. (Good thing).
7. Increases penalties for entering the US illegally. (Bad).
8. Increases number of beds in detention facilities. (While this may seem like a good thing because the conditions are so overcrowded right now, the government can reduce the overcrowding by releasing more folks not at risk of flight on bail).

Full post as published by Queer Law Watch on May 18, 2007 (boomark / email).