The Senate Immigration reform bill, includes tough border security and immigration enforcement measures and various provisions for the undocumented immigrants, American workers and legal immigrants.
Border Security
The Senate immigration bill is based on six security triggers and only after the US Department of Homeland Security implements effective border security measures, the undocumented immigrants would be permitted to apply for legal status. First, the Department of Homeland Security(DHS) must create a border security plan and this must be done after the Senate immigration reform bill is enacted. Likewise, the DHS must also create and initiate a border fence plan, within 6 months from the date of enactment of the Senate bill and 100 percent border awareness must be achieved within five years.
A Southern Border Security Commission would be established if the DHS fails to achieve border awareness within five years and this commission would be required to implement plans to achieve border effectiveness. This bill would also require all the US employers to use the E-verify system. Electronic exit systems would be implemented at all the air and sea ports of entry and this system would operate by collecting machine readable visa or passport information.
Legal Immigration System and Provisions for Foreign and American Workers
This bill would modernize the legal immigration system of the country that would boost the economy of the country and create more jobs to the Americans. The merit-based immigration system would help the country to attract entrepreneurs, investors and high skilled workers and this would also create jobs for Americans. This bill would not allow the US employers to hire foreign workers, if the unemployment rate in the country is above 8.5 percent and the Americans would be given top priority and only if there is a need for foreign workers, workers from foreign countries would be hired.
The bill contains provisions for foreign students who hold advanced degrees and instead of sending them to their home countries, Green Cards would be issued to them while they complete their advanced degrees in America. The H-1B program would also be expanded and the bill would eliminate few family preference categories and the diversity visa lottery program.
The Senate immigration reform bill would create a guest worker program for the low skilled foreign workers. Likewise, a new agricultural guest worker visa program would be established and the US employers would be permitted to legally hire agricultural workers. This bill would grant the undocumented farm workers Blue Card status and allow them to obtain legal status, if they are eligible, after five years.
Legal Status for Undocumented Immigrants and DREAMers
The Border Security, Economic Opportunity & Immigration Modernization Act Of 2013, would allow the undocumented immigrants to obtain lawful status but only after the US Department of Homeland Security implements border security measures. Initially, undocumented immigrants who had entered into the country prior to 31st December, 2011 would be permitted to apply for Registered Provisional Immigrant status and after remaining in the country in the temporary status for 10 years, they would be permitted to apply for legal permanent resident status.
This immigration reform bill would not grant amnesty and after the DHS achieves the security triggers, undocumented immigrants would be required to come forward and apply for legal status and before that they must pass background checks, submit fingerprints, pay fines and their back taxes. However, undocumented immigrants who are found to be criminals would be deported from the country. Moreover, undocumented immigrants who apply for and obtain Registered Provisional Immigrant (RPI) status may not be granted federal benefits. RPI status granted to the undocumented immigrants may be revoked if they commit crimes or if they fail to meet the other requirements. Hence, all the undocumented immigrants who obtain RPI status may not become eligible for lawful permanent resident status in America.
This bill would give priority to the legal immigrants and the undocumented immigrants who apply for legal status must pay fines and they would be put on a waiting line. Likewise, the legal immigrants may not be required to wait until the DHS meets the security triggers. This bill would also help the DREAMers who were brought to the country by their parents and such children may not be punished and they would be allowed to apply for legal status within 5 years and they may not be required to pay fines that the other undocumented immigrants must pay.