The Time Has Come to Act - CIR can pass in 2010
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******* DID YOU CALL YOUR SENATOR?? COMMENT AND LET US KNOW IF YOU DID . PLEASE DO CALL (instructions below) - TO THE LEGAL IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY, YOUR CALL IS LIKE A BLOOD DONATION - WE NEED IT FOR SURVIVAL! **********
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Several reliable immigration sites and blogs, including one of my favorites, the immigration-law.com breaking news, had declared the CIR dead, though I still had high hopes that something would happen in 2010. It was widely believed that financial reform and climate change reform has put the CIR in the backburner. ALL THAT HAS CHANGED NOW!!
After the strict anti-immigrant law passed in Arizona last week which caused major debate and discomfort to some (which I don’t get - Illiegal immigration MUST BE curbed and hiring illegals needs to be stopped too, so why the big fuzz over the law), and some strong actions by pro-immigrant Senate Democrats to keep the CIR alive, it has made its way to the Senate!! The CIR Bill was introduced in the Senate on April 29th - here’s the draft.
Several sources have done a great job at ploughing through the bill to make it easier to understand. Here’s a direct copy-paste from immigration-law.com website for your reference.
NOTE: IMMIGRATION VOICE IS HOLDING A MASSIVE PHONE CAMPAIGN TO CONTACT SENATORS AND TELL THEM ABOUT YOUR SITUATION AND YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE CIR.
Immigration Voice Phone Campaign
I don’t always love everything that the Immigration Voice does (and I have NOTHING to do with them) but this one is a GREAT idea. I called and I think you should all call. TOGETHER, we can make a difference.
I will be writing a regular update on the CIR on this blog. This is something that affects me and many family/friends and endless waiters closely. Tell me about your thoughts on this,..
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04/29/2010: Senate Democrat CIR Proposal: L-1 Reform Part
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- Limit L-1 numbers for employers hiring 50 or more workers
- Limit of L-1B of client-site services to one-year visa only, with waiver in the discretion of DHS
- Changes in:
- New Office L-1 requirements
- Wage rates and work condition requirements
- Employer penalty
- Reenforced DHS authority to investigate noncompliance employers
04/29/2010: Senate Democrat CIR Proposal: H-1B Reform Part
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- Changes in H-1B application requirements:
- Revise wage determination requirements
- Require Internet posting
- Lengthen US worker “displacement” protection period
- Require current H-1B dependent employer restrictions to all H-1B employers
- Prohibition of advertisement requiring H-1B nonimmigrants
- Limit H-1B numbers for employers hiring 50 or more workers
- DOL enforcement authrity:
- Investigation for frauds
- H-1B compliance audits
- Changes in H-1B application requirements:
04/29/2010: Senate Democrat CIR Proposal: Employment-Based “Immigration”
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- Elimination of per country limit (cap) for employment-based immigration categories
- Recapture of unused visa numbers
- Immediate Green Card available for U.S. STEM Advance Degree holders with job offered in the STEM fields
- Dual Intent of foreign students entering the country to study STEM
04/29/2010: Senate Democrat CIR Proposal: Legalization of 10.8 Million Illegal Aliens
- Initial Threshold requirements:
- Currently in the U.S.
- No criminal record of federal or state felony or three or more misdemeanors
- No history of participation in persecution of others
- Not inadmissible under 212(a) of Immigration & Nationality Act in certain categories including national security or criminal grounds
- Currently “not” in an authorized immigrant or nonimmigrant status (only illegal aliens are eligible)
- Entered the U.S. without inspection (EWI) “after” the date of “introduction of this bill.” In other words, EWIs are eligible inasmuch as they entered before the bill is introduced.
- Step I mandatory legalization application process:
- Come out of closet, register, and go through biometrics, name checks, security checks.
- Step II Reside and Travel on interim Lawful Prosepctive Immigrant (LPI) status for 8 years (Back of the Line Provision)
- Step III Apply for Green Card (I-485) and meet the following requirements for eligibility:
- Pass Basic Citizenship Skill test
- Pass English Language Skill test
- Proof of “continuous” residence since registration
- Pass terrorism, criminal history, and other security and name checks
- Proof of payment of all federal income taxes, fees, civil penalties
- Proof of compliance with Registration for Selective Services for certain age applicants.
- Step IV Following-to-Join Immigrant Spouse and Children Abroad
- Once LPR is granted through the foregoing steps, his or her spouse and children overseas will be eligible for application for immigrant visas.
04/29/2010: Senate Democrat CIR Proposal: Legalization of Illegal Aliens
- Three programs:
- Legalization of 10.8 million aliens currently in the U.S. with no legal status
- DREAM Act for youngsters
- AgJOBS Act for farm workers and adjustment of status
- We will see the first program in details.
04/29/2010: Senate Democrat CIR Proposal: Family-Based Immigration Program Reform
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- Recapture of unused visa numbers
- Backlog elimination within 8 years
- Spouses and children of LPR considered “immediate relatives” and not subject to immigrant visa quota just like spouses and children of USC under the present system
- Change per country family immigration limit from current 7% to 10% of total admissions
- Immigrant benefits for widows and orphants of USC
- Permanent partners (gays) of USC or LPR eligible for green card just like those spouses of USC or LPR
- Exempt of children of Filipino WW II veterans from immigrant numerical limitation
- Certain special protections for children and people with humanitarian considerations
- Reform to stepchildren and adoptive children programs
04/29/2010: Senate Democrat CIR Proposal: Other Employment-Based Visa Program Reforms
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- New visas to promote property ownership by foreign nationals for enhancement of housing marked
- Eliminate sunset date and make permanent R-1 religious worker program
- Eliminate sunset date and make permanent Conrad 30 J-1 for international medical graduates
- H-1B and J-1 program reform for international medical graduates to make easily obtainerable and to allow easier path to green card down the road
- E-3 visa which is currently available for Australian will be extended to Ntionals of Ireland
- Fashion models visa shifted from current H-1B visa to O or P visa
- Nurse and physical therapist shortage alleviation program
- Technical change to EB-5 investor program
May 10th, 2010 at 11:06 am
[...] and participation can help us in our fight for rights and fair laws for legal immigrants to the US.The recent draft CIR bill that the Senate Democrats introduced includes some VERY VERY helpful clauses for STEM graduates from US Universities. I wrote [...]
May 13th, 2010 at 10:29 am
Energy bill introduced in Senate yesterday in the wake of the BP oil spill threatens to put CIR on the backburner AGAIN. Arrrrrgggggghhh!! I have nothing against the Energy Bill but the Senators certainly should be able to handle more than 1 bill at a time. But they don’t seem to do that.
Unless the CIR gets ahead, you and I are gonna stay put in our current situations for YEARS!! Not just 1 or 2, several.
CALL YOUR SENATOR TODAY. TELL THEM YOU “NEED” THE CIR PASSED.
May 13th, 2010 at 8:58 pm
The USCIS should also be pressed to change the rules, I recently found out of some administrative reforms that the immigration agency can make on its own, without the need for Congress to pass anything. One of the reforms that have been requested is for the agency to permit employment for spouses of employees with an H-1B visa. We should write to them also, with real-life examples how this situation is affecting us.
I personally do not think the immigration reform will pass this year, I am pretty sure that it won’t happen during Obama’s (first) term. Probably talks will begin close to the end of 2011 so that the immigration supporters will vote for him again in order to get this passed. Or, talks will start now, but it won’t be passed so that things balance out after the healthcare reform. Everything that happened until now is proof that this reform is not a priority. Immigrants can’t vote, there is no incentive for politicians to help them. Maybe the illegal immigrants are more interesting to them because at least they will bring in money with taxes, but us, the legal immigrants, don’t have much going for us. This is very painful to say, but I don’t see this happening soon.
What can we do about it? Definitely not give up, at least we should write to Congress, to the USCIS. Our messages, if they are in large numbers will count.
May 14th, 2010 at 10:14 am
Without HOPE, there is nothing in life, at least not for me. CIR can bring us immigrants this feeling of freedom and peace without which life in this country doesn’t feel right.
Even with a green card, you still have restrictions - like only being able to spend 6 months away from the country at a time. So if I wanted to go to India for 3 years and come back and live in the US later, that’s not an option. It never ends. The way the world works today, true freedom does not exist, unless you are a US citizen. But no point getting wound up into the future.
For now, I will keep fighting until I see sense in it. Right now, CIR feels like next step, that can bring thousands of us relief. Let’s fight for it! Or just go back to our home countries. No point living here like a rat. Fight for your freedom!!!
June 1st, 2010 at 6:40 am
I called one of the senators’ offices listed on the Immigration Voice website. I was told that the bill was not on the congress, and that it did not look like it would make it there this year.
June 7th, 2010 at 2:04 pm
The office seems accurate. It appears that the CIR may not pass this year, but I am still hopeful that it will be introduced and debated on. That alone would be a significant step. Political climate changes without notice these days. Don’t lose hope just yet.
July 6th, 2010 at 9:54 am
Hi,
This is what I think why CIR should pass:
Majority, if not all, States currently are struggling with Budget cuts so they need tax money. US already has many illegal aliens/workers. If you make them legal (by giving work visa) with passing CIR, they will responsible for paying taxes. That is a huge contribution to the IRS and can be a strong point for congress why they should consider this bill ahead of Energy bill.
The Federal and State both need revenue at this time and this can be a big revenue driver for them.
Just my 2 cents here