July 9, 2002

Representative Gekas Introduces Immigration Bill

Representative George Gekas (R-PA), Chair of the House Immigration, Border Security and Claims Subcommittee, recently introduced the Securing America's Future through Enforcement Act (SAFER), with 11 cosponsors. Representative Gekas' statements proposing this measure explicitly link immigration with terrorism. Opponents of the bill H.R. 5013 argue many of the changes called for in this legislation would be some of the most restrictive in decades.

Among other provisions, the bill would reduce legal immigration levels by about 20%; further expand the deportation provisions in current law; require schools to report to the INS on the subject matter of each course taken by foreign students; and make it a federal crime to overstay a visa by more than six months. The latest major action of this bill was on: 6/25/2002 Referred to House committee on the Judiciary.