It is not the first time that players of politics are trying to win tug of war on immigration issue, while spectators are eager to watch its aftermath. Immigration bills have been on congress’s plate since the inception of filibuster motions (A filibuster in the United States Senate usually refers to any dilatory or obstructive tactics used to prevent a measure from being brought to a vote).
Representative Luis V. Gutierrez (D-IL) had introduced a bill in 2009 called Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR), this piece of legislation is pro-family, pro-jobs and pro-security.
This bill was drafted to keep families together provided the borders must be secured first. It keeps people working by attracting substantial foreign investment to boost the economy. It gives a pathway to citizenship conditioned that immigrants must learn English, pay taxes and contributes to their communities. Under the most current figures there are an estimated 11.2 million illegal immigrants in the United States.
The bone of contention in this bill is the amnesty provision that envisage “The Earned Legalization Program for the Undocumented.” This new legislation will provide a six year conditional nonimmigrant or immigrant visa to those who are out of status or entered the US without inspection. It will waive the bars to legal status under the current law, provide work authorization and travel authorization along with protection from removal.
Following are the key features and requirements of the bill for eligibility of the benefits that an Alien must:
· “Establish presence in the U.S. on the day of introduction, and continuously thereafter
· At time of registration, attests to contributions to the U.S. through employment, education, military service, or other volunteer/community service (with exemptions for minors, persons with disabilities, the elderly, or other unusual circumstances)
· Complete criminal and security background checks
· Pay a $500 fine plus necessary application fees (fine exemption for children and certain immigrants who initially entered the U.S. before the age of 16)
· The individual shall be ineligible to receive a visa as a result of a serious criminal conviction, persecution of another person or reasonable grounds for believing that the alien committed a particularly serious crime abroad
· There is a penalty of up to five years’ imprisonment for anyone who willfully falsifies information in an application for conditional nonimmigrant status.”
Conditional non-immigrants will also qualify to apply for permanent residency and later US citizenship.
President Obama has previously indicated that Comprehensive Immigration Reform is priority on his agenda. In recent State of the Union address he again asserted his firm will to fix the broken immigration system and asked Congress for cooperation.
Since the bill is hanged in the balance due to many political reasons as majority of Public representatives have own axe to grind, pleasing their constituents due to reservations over immigration policies.
Due to delay in revival of immigration system many States started to pass customized immigration bills. Alabama’s immigration law is the toughest one with stringent measures which went into effect on September 30th when Judge Blackburn allowed State to enforce the law, however 11th circuit later suspended some of the provisions of the bill, currently bill is its full effect with the following clauses:
H.B. 56 § 12(a), which requires a law enforcement officer to make a reasonable attempt, when practicable, to determine the citizenship and immigration status of a person stopped, detained or arrested when reasonable suspicion exists that the person is an alien who is unlawfully present in the United States.
H.B. 56 § 18, which amends Ala. Code 32-6-9 to include a provision that if a person is arrested for driving without a license, and the officer is unable to determine that the person has a valid driver’s license, the person must be transported to the nearest magistrate; a reasonable effort shall be made to determine the citizenship of the driver, and if found to be unlawfully present in the United States the driver shall be detained until prosecution or until handed over to federal immigration authorities.
H.B. 56 § 27, which bars Alabama courts from enforcing a contract to which a person who is unlawfully present in the United States is a party. This section does not apply to contracts for lodging for one night, contracts for the purchase of food, contracts for medical services, or contracts for transportation for an alien to return to his or her country of origin.
H.B. 56 § 30, which makes it a felony for an alien not lawfully present in the United States to enter into a “business transaction” with the State of Alabama or any political subdivision thereof.
While the bill is fully enforced in Alabama, the most recent study conducted by University of Alabama has revealed:
“The cost-benefit analysis by University of Alabama economist Samuel Addy estimated up to 80,000 jobs were vacated by illegal immigrants fleeing the crackdown, costing Alabama's economy up to $10.8 billion. The lost jobs also cost Alabama up to $264.5 million in lost state sales and income taxes, and as much as $93.1 million in lost city and county sales taxes. The study added in the costs of healthcare and social services to undocumented people that would be saved. However, it found these savings to be negligible when compared to the increased costs of law enforcement and businesses that now have to run checks on citizenship.”
State Representative Patricia Todd, a Birmingham Democrats said: "It is hypocritical for 'no tax and spend' Republicans to pass something like this that sucks money right out of the general fund when we are cutting funding by 25 percent," said state Representative Patricia Todd, a Birmingham Democrat.
Todd claims that $9 million has already been spent on litigation to defend the new law, a figure received from the legislative fiscal office.
United States Supreme court is likely to rule on Arizona immigration law this summer and it is the high time for the court to decide the fate of broken immigration system that may reduce the encounter between federal and State government.
Prepared and edited by: Zeb Memon.
Representative Luis V. Gutierrez (D-IL) had introduced a bill in 2009 called Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR), this piece of legislation is pro-family, pro-jobs and pro-security.
This bill was drafted to keep families together provided the borders must be secured first. It keeps people working by attracting substantial foreign investment to boost the economy. It gives a pathway to citizenship conditioned that immigrants must learn English, pay taxes and contributes to their communities. Under the most current figures there are an estimated 11.2 million illegal immigrants in the United States.
The bone of contention in this bill is the amnesty provision that envisage “The Earned Legalization Program for the Undocumented.” This new legislation will provide a six year conditional nonimmigrant or immigrant visa to those who are out of status or entered the US without inspection. It will waive the bars to legal status under the current law, provide work authorization and travel authorization along with protection from removal.
Following are the key features and requirements of the bill for eligibility of the benefits that an Alien must:
· “Establish presence in the U.S. on the day of introduction, and continuously thereafter
· At time of registration, attests to contributions to the U.S. through employment, education, military service, or other volunteer/community service (with exemptions for minors, persons with disabilities, the elderly, or other unusual circumstances)
· Complete criminal and security background checks
· Pay a $500 fine plus necessary application fees (fine exemption for children and certain immigrants who initially entered the U.S. before the age of 16)
· The individual shall be ineligible to receive a visa as a result of a serious criminal conviction, persecution of another person or reasonable grounds for believing that the alien committed a particularly serious crime abroad
· There is a penalty of up to five years’ imprisonment for anyone who willfully falsifies information in an application for conditional nonimmigrant status.”
Conditional non-immigrants will also qualify to apply for permanent residency and later US citizenship.
President Obama has previously indicated that Comprehensive Immigration Reform is priority on his agenda. In recent State of the Union address he again asserted his firm will to fix the broken immigration system and asked Congress for cooperation.
Since the bill is hanged in the balance due to many political reasons as majority of Public representatives have own axe to grind, pleasing their constituents due to reservations over immigration policies.
Due to delay in revival of immigration system many States started to pass customized immigration bills. Alabama’s immigration law is the toughest one with stringent measures which went into effect on September 30th when Judge Blackburn allowed State to enforce the law, however 11th circuit later suspended some of the provisions of the bill, currently bill is its full effect with the following clauses:
H.B. 56 § 12(a), which requires a law enforcement officer to make a reasonable attempt, when practicable, to determine the citizenship and immigration status of a person stopped, detained or arrested when reasonable suspicion exists that the person is an alien who is unlawfully present in the United States.
H.B. 56 § 18, which amends Ala. Code 32-6-9 to include a provision that if a person is arrested for driving without a license, and the officer is unable to determine that the person has a valid driver’s license, the person must be transported to the nearest magistrate; a reasonable effort shall be made to determine the citizenship of the driver, and if found to be unlawfully present in the United States the driver shall be detained until prosecution or until handed over to federal immigration authorities.
H.B. 56 § 27, which bars Alabama courts from enforcing a contract to which a person who is unlawfully present in the United States is a party. This section does not apply to contracts for lodging for one night, contracts for the purchase of food, contracts for medical services, or contracts for transportation for an alien to return to his or her country of origin.
H.B. 56 § 30, which makes it a felony for an alien not lawfully present in the United States to enter into a “business transaction” with the State of Alabama or any political subdivision thereof.
While the bill is fully enforced in Alabama, the most recent study conducted by University of Alabama has revealed:
“The cost-benefit analysis by University of Alabama economist Samuel Addy estimated up to 80,000 jobs were vacated by illegal immigrants fleeing the crackdown, costing Alabama's economy up to $10.8 billion. The lost jobs also cost Alabama up to $264.5 million in lost state sales and income taxes, and as much as $93.1 million in lost city and county sales taxes. The study added in the costs of healthcare and social services to undocumented people that would be saved. However, it found these savings to be negligible when compared to the increased costs of law enforcement and businesses that now have to run checks on citizenship.”
State Representative Patricia Todd, a Birmingham Democrats said: "It is hypocritical for 'no tax and spend' Republicans to pass something like this that sucks money right out of the general fund when we are cutting funding by 25 percent," said state Representative Patricia Todd, a Birmingham Democrat.
Todd claims that $9 million has already been spent on litigation to defend the new law, a figure received from the legislative fiscal office.
United States Supreme court is likely to rule on Arizona immigration law this summer and it is the high time for the court to decide the fate of broken immigration system that may reduce the encounter between federal and State government.
Prepared and edited by: Zeb Memon.
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