Update On Upcoming Senate Vote on Comprehensive Immigration Reform

On Wednesday, May 16, 2007, the Democrats indicated they will go forward with a procedural vote on last year’s SB-2611, if no new comprehensive immigration reform bill is agreed on. Tuesday, negotiators had met to discuss unresolved issues which include:

• Whether the proposed temporary worker program would have a path to citizenship
• What weight would be given to family status in a new immigration point system
• Whether to implement a sunset provision for a new temporary worker from after "one or two cycles"

GT attorneys met with Senators and staffers from both parties to encourage bipartisan support for the bill as well as certain key amendments that include:

• Keeping a temporary worker program numbers at or around 400,000
• Maintaining the market based escalator in place with an overall annual ceiling
• Including language to increase the number of green cards
• Deciding on whether the Y visa will be a temporary visa with no ability to renew or ability to adjust status to permanent resident

GT is hopeful that a workable, bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform bill will be agreed to by the Senate.