Gutierrez Introduces Immigration Bill

Illinois Congressman Luis Gutierrez yesterday introduced the Hispanic Caucus version of immigration reform legislation in the House, characterizing the bill he sponsors with nearly 90 other Congressmen as “pro-family, pro-job and pro-security.” The Gutierrez bill would immediately give “nonimmigrant status” to 12 million illegal aliens upon registration with the federal government, payment of a $500 fine, plus application fees, and clearing a criminal and security background check.

After six years, or clearance of the existing backlog of green card applications, whichever comes first, the “nonimmigrants” could apply for lawful permanent resident status. The bill also repeals the 287(g) permission for state and local police enforcement of immigration laws.

While the bill calls for establishment of a permanent system for verifying a person’s work eligibility, it does not specify whether or not the existing E-verify system would be made permanent. Republican Congressmen oppose the bill. House Judiciary ranking member Lamar Smith said “Allowing millions of illegal immigrants to stay and take away jobs from citizens and legal immigrants is like giving a burglar a key to the house.”

Business groups oppose the legislation’s creation of a 100,000 visa random lottery rather than a guest worker program keyed to the unmet employment needs of the American economy.

Immigration Reform On The House Agenda

Illinois Congressman Luis Gutierrez held a rally yesterday on the Capitol's West Lawn where he outlined his proposals for immigration reform legislation he proposes to introduce "probably sometime right after Thanksgiving." Representative Jan Schakowsky said she expects the Gutierrez bill will include both a pathway to citizenship for workers already here illegally, along with tougher enforcement measures and border security controls. Gutierrez said he expects his bill will require illegal immigrants applying for citizenship to submit to criminal background checks and also to take English proficiency classes. He said he believes his bill is needed to keep families together.

House Judiciary Committee ranking member Lamar Smith immediately spoke out in opposition to the Gutierrez outline. "Allowing millions of illegal immigrants to stay and take jobs away from citizens is like giving a burglar a key to the house," he said.

Senator Proposes Fingerprinting Everyone Working In The United States

Senate Judiciary Committee Immigration Subcommittee Chairman Charles Schumer proposed yesterday that everyone with a job in this country should be fingerprinted to document his or her citizenship or other legal right to work in this country. He proposes to make this a provision in comprehensive immigration reform legislation expected in Congress, and pushed by the Obama administration, later this fall. No one is talking yet about how the government will pay for the taking and processing of 100 million sets of fingerprints, but you can bet if Schumer's proposal actually goes forward, the cost will somehow be pushed off onto the nation's businesses which employ the people to be fingerprinted. Going to work in the twenty first century is looking more and more like going to jail.

Obama Throws Another Log On The Fire

As if climate change, highway funding and health care reform were not enough fuel for the fires of Congressional debate this session, this morning President Obama unveiled the outline of his immigration law reform proposals. In a speech at the annual Esperanza prayer breakfast, Obama said, "We must ... clarify the status of millions who are here illegally, many who have put down roots ..." by requiring the illegals to pay a fine, pay all unpaid U. S. taxes for the time they have been here, learn to read and speak English, and go to the back of the line of those wading through the citizenship process.

Look for a bill this session, but probably not before the end of the fiscal year.