Think it's hard to get the 60 votes necessary to quash a filibuster and get something done in the U.S. Senate? Forget the supermajority: A single senator can hold up a vote for months on end -- even on a bipartisan bill that serves the needs of our economy.
Example A: Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act.
Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives performed a modern-day political miracle in November by coming together to approve this bill, which would restore balance and fairness to the distribution of employment- and family-based immigrant visas. Introduced by Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), and Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX), it passed 389-15.
The bill would provide a small yet important fix to the distribution of employment- and family-based visas, which is arbitrary in nature and inconsistent with basic supply and demand principles. Under current law, Iceland and Belize have the same cap on visas as India and China, two countries that provide the U.S. with large numbers of science, technology and engineering professionals.
This archaic approach has created huge backlogs in countries with high numbers of employer-sponsored immigrants. For example, workers from India currently face waits of up to 70 years -- yes, 70 years -- to receive a green card. That is not good government.
Likewise, naturalized citizens and permanent residents from countries such as Mexico and the Philippines run up against years-long backlogs when trying to reunite with their loved ones. The Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act eliminates one of the obstacles for the people who have been waiting the longest for employer- or family-based green cards.
Sen. Grassley, an army of one when it comes to blocking smart immigration policy, placed a hold on the legislation in December. He cited concerns about "future immigration flows" and "that it does nothing to better protect Americans at home who seek high-skilled jobs during this time of record high unemployment."
The senator is turning a blind eye to the fact that Americans at home face the same amount of competition for jobs now that they would if the bill became law. The legislation does not increase the total number of visas; rather, it simply redistributes the existing pool.
In fact, the minimalism that makes the bill politically palatable to 389 representatives and, for all we know, as many as 99 senators is also what limits its reach. If, one day, we get to celebrate the bipartisan support for this measure, we can do so only insofar as it lays the groundwork for broader immigration reform.
Having proved they can join forces, Republicans and Democrats should do so in the name of fulfilling our economic need for skilled workers of all kinds. From the skilled engineer to the skilled farm worker, our economy depends on immigrants and immigration.
For starters, legislators could add to the total number of visas by simplifying and shortening the green-card application process for international students who earn advanced degrees from American universities. Such a change for graduate students in science, technology, engineering or mathematics would encourage technological innovation on our shores and create jobs in the process, as Stuart Anderson, Executive Director of the National Foundation for American Policy, points out in a recent policy brief.
We also must look beyond advanced degrees and recognize that skilled immigrants create jobs in all sectors of the American economy. For instance, the job of a skilled immigrant farm worker is directly tied to other "upstream and downstream" U.S. jobs as someone needs to transport, package and process a farm's output. Studies by the U.S. Department of Agriculture suggest that about three U.S jobs are tied to every job on the farm. If a labor shortage forced a shift to overseas food production, all of these jobs would disappear. That's without mentioning the economic disadvantages of importing more of our food.
Recruiting skilled workers, in concert with increased investment in education and training for U.S. workers, will make the American workforce more competitive. By limiting or excluding immigrants, we only hobble ourselves.
For now, even modest reform is on hold. But even if we have the opportunity to applaud members of Congress for a small visa-reform bill, we must continue to push for more meaningful policy changes that match our economic reality with our need for a skilled workforce. It is time to set our sights higher.
Ali Noorani is the Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum.
Follow Ali Noorani on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ImmPolitic
An example to illustrate my point:
According to newly released numbers from the DHS, some 200,000 undocumented immigrants have left/fled the hostile Arizona since 2008. As a result, rent and mortgage payments have dried up and the general demand for goods and services has decreased.
"Through the first half of the decade, states such as Nevada, Utah and Arizona experienced record growth in population, business and, as a result, new construction. Conditions reversed in 2008, and the states that once led in property value growth and employment, like Arizona, fell through the floor. In the third quarter of 2006, Arizona had median home value of $254,655. To date, that value has dropped by more than $100,000. Some 48.3 percent of all mortgaged homes are now underwater."
What do you think it would do to the US housing market if Romney/Kobach's mass-expulsion plan was implemented?
(http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/14/10626408-5-states-drowning-in-underwater-mortgages?chromedomain=usnews)
(http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2012/03/23/20120323arizona-illegal-migrant-population-plunges.html)
Sheriff Arpaio's Maricopa County has a Half Million vacant Homes since he began his Anti-Immigrant Rant.
Yet he still has the same number of Deputies, they pick up blown down Real Estate signs now.
January 2008 = The start of the E-verify Law, and the I.C.E. Deportations.
January 2008 Also = "The start of the "Worst Recession in U.S. History", and our New Wonderful Deficit.
America needs Total Immigration Reform, the "Dream Act", and High Skilled is not enough.
"America is great because it is good, when it ceases to be good, it ceases to be great,"
Alex De Tocqueville
Ripping apart Families is not good. Period.
The bill does not change or increase immigration, All it does it make the system fair by making it a first in first out, Infact he is doing a dissservice to the american public, because currently employers are holding H1b holders hostage because of the often 6 year wait time of a green card process while thier collegues from pakistan and Bolivia can get a green card in 6 months. plus they cant change jobs, because of which employers hold them hostage and pay lower wages, there by reducing the wages of amercan citizens on the whole.
This bill will stop it. and Grassley is blocking the bill
I received a Press Release from his group and you can read about their attitude towards the U.S. Immigration Laws:
http://redwriteblue.blog.com/2011/11/12/nefarious-victory/
In certain fields, there are not enough US citizens to do the job. I know -- I was in one of those fields. How many American students have the skills and patience and ability to go through a science/engineering PhD program where they are making peanuts for years. Not many. Smart ones want to make the big bucks in business, and fast. Bring in skilled immigrants, who are trained in our colleges anyway, to do the job and make the country a better place. We could use their knowledge, training, and ability.
Everyone is worried about the few US citizens in these high-demand areas. US citizens in these areas are in good shape (if not it is because they aren't competent). It is not like bringing a high-tech immigrant means a factory worker loses a job. Blocking the immigrant won't get that job back.
Well there are many reasons why massive immigration can't continue.
The biggest is environmental. We have 310+ million people now. We have doubled TWICE over just the last 100 years. We are expected to add another 300 million this century WITHOUT any increases in legal immigration or any more amnesties for illegals. Ritually all of that growth is from immigration, their kids and their high birth rates. This country would have a stable, sustainable population if we stopped most immigration.
Sustainability is NOT a dirty word.
We already have shortages of water, EVERY energy commodity, good land, open spaces, hospitals, schools, landfills, waste water plants, etc.
Until those 1%'s who want to keep the flow of labor up so wages stay low can find massive new sources of all those things we MUST have and DON'T have then the easiest way to keep our standard of living up, wages up, overpopulation down is to limit immigration.
Unless you want to invite all of them to live in your house, using your food, your water and your energy?
UK is half the size of california, has better healthcare, roads and quality of life than the US.
Africa is US, India, China and south amrica combined and the quality of life is pahetic.
you still want to give your bogus theory of population growth an explanation?
Because population growth has to stop sometime and we're already full in terms of not being able to sustain the current population indefenitely. So the better question is "Why keep making the problem worse with mass immigration?"
Family reunification will always be important however certain categories may need to be cut/curtailed to save others and reduce the current long wait times.
The reason why piecemeal immigration reform must be blocked at all costs is that it chips away at getting to 60 votes in the Senate and at getting a majority in the House.
An example:
Congressman A is under pressure from the farm lobby in his district to help pass farm worker visa reform. If that is passed as a stand-alone bill, there is not a snowball's chance in hell that Congressman A will later vote for legalization of restaurant workers in Idaho, maids in Manhattan or garment industry workers in CA. As soon as Congressman A gets what he needs for his district, it will be: "I've got mine. You are on your own amigos." And Congressman A's vote will be lost in terms of passing other pieces of immigration reform later.
Conclusion: All stakeholders must be kept at the table until immigration reform including broad legalization and high-and low-skill visa reform is passed. No giveaways of bargaining chips such as high-tech visa reform!
"Contrary to some of the discussion here this morning, the STEM job market is mired in a jobs recession…with unemployment rates…two to three times what we would expect at full employment….Loopholes have made it too easy to bring in cheaper foreign workers with ordinary skills…to directly substitute for, rather than complement, American workers. The programs are clearly displacing and denying opportunities to American workers." Ronil Hira, Professor of Public Policy (and an engineer) at Rochester Institute of Technology, testifying before Congress, July 2011.
FYI
Wake up America?
P.S. Billy Jack stood for the Defenseless, I doubt he would have had your veiw to rip apart Families, and Tear good Hard Working Parents from their Children, documented or not!
"America is great because it is good, when it ceases to be good, it ceases to be great."
Alex De Tocqueville
Since January 2008, and the start of these Programs:
America has suffered "The Worst Recession in U.S. History, and now has a 15 Trillion Dollar Deficit.
For every Good, Hard Working Immigrant Deported, or Incarcerated America has lost over Four times as many American Jobs.
Fact is, the Hard Labor Immigrants gladly did for America was the very Foundation of our "Strong Economy", and this Hard Labor supported all other American Jobs.
Far Worse, since January 2008:
Over Five Thousand Hispanic Children are now in Foster Care.
Over Thirteen Thousand non-criminal Immigrants have been Incarcerated for years with out charges.
Over One Hundred non-criminal Immigrants have Died in Custody.
Over Forty-two Thousand Hispanic "Human Beings" now lay Dead at the Harsh U.S. Mexico Border where I.C.E. has Deported Hundreds of Thousands into a known "Drug War" with nothing, not even water, to be killed, or to Die of the Elements.
This Great Nation of Immigrants was Built on Far Better Principles and Values than This!
To: Good.
W.W.J.D?
The sad truth is that time is running out for comprehensive immigration reform. By the end of next year, CIR will be dead. In 2014, the immigrants will again (just like in 2009, 2010, 2011,2012) be told that "now is not a good time for CIR because we have the midterms coming up. If only you vote for us in the midterms in 2014, you see, we are SO committed to CIR". After the 2014 midterms, Obama will be a lame duck. EIGHT LOST YEARS FOR CIR UNDER OBAMA IS A DISTINCT POSSIBILITY.
And as to unskilled labor; university students used to compete for the hot, long hours and back-breaking work available in the summer in tomato plants in Northern California because the pay was good. If you want your crops picked, pay a living wage and Americans will show up at your doorstep. If the food costs a little more it will be OK as long as we're paid the decent wages we need to afford it.
As an educator I struggle to know what to advise my students to study. What jobs will the corporate greed masters leave for Americans in 10, 20 years? We can't all hope to find employment as the Ferrari mechanics, trust fund baby nannies and chandelier polishers of the 1%.
Correct, it does not apply for H1b, but it does apply for Permanant workers(green cards) which is what this bill is about.