| On December 15, Congressman Gutierrez (D-Ill.) and | | | | detainees and a bid to end to the controversial |
| twenty (20) other House Democrats introduced the | | | | program authorizing state and local authorities to |
| Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America's | | | | enforce our immigration laws. |
| Security and Prosperity (CIR ASAP) Act of 2009 | | | | Finally, the proposed bill seek to increase and improve |
| (H.R. 4321 ) in the House of Representatives. To | | | | the current "preference" systems for admitting both |
| date, the bill has 92 co-sponsors, all of them | | | | employment-based and family-based immigrants. |
| Democrats. | | | | Immigration reform is long overdue. In the coming |
| The bill is multi-faceted and has proven highly | | | | months, the Chairman of the Immigration |
| controversial. Perhaps most controversial is the bill's | | | | Subcommittee, Charles Schumer (D-NY), and Senator |
| proposed path to legalization for undocumented | | | | Lindsay Graham (R-SC) are expected to introduce a |
| immigrants currently living in the U.S. as of December | | | | bipartisan immigration reform bill in the Senate. Since |
| 15. According to the bill, such undocumented | | | | the Senate bill will be bipartisan, we expect that the |
| immigrants must (i) demonstrate gainful employment, | | | | bill will contain tougher worksite enforcement |
| (ii) undergo a criminal background check, (iii) learn | | | | provisions, more requirements to secure our nation's |
| English and (iv) pay penalties; all in exchange for a | | | | borders, and a less generous legalization program, |
| temporary, six (6) year visa which later provides an | | | | than does Congressman Gutierrez's House bill. |
| opportunity for these individuals to become lawful | | | | Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Senate |
| permanent residents of the United States. | | | | Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and the Obama |
| CIR ASAP also seeks to incorporate the | | | | Administration have agreed that the Senate will first |
| Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors | | | | take up the issue of immigration reform bill before |
| Act, otherwise known as the "DREAM Act". The | | | | the House of Representatives. |
| DREAM Act is proposed federal legislation which | | | | Although President Obama has indicated he expects |
| seeks to provide certain, qualified undocumented | | | | Congress to pass an immigration bill in 2010, there |
| immigrant students who graduate from U.S. high | | | | seems to be other "business", such as energy reform |
| schools the opportunity to earn conditional permanent | | | | and regulation of the financial markets, which will likely |
| residency so they may remain in the U.S. to pursue a | | | | take precedent over the passage of a |
| course of study at our colleges and universities. To | | | | comprehensive immigration reform bill. Moreover, |
| qualify under the DREAM Act, applicants must | | | | similar comprehensive immigration reform bills have |
| demonstrate they (i) are of good moral character (no | | | | been rejected repeatedly in the past by critics |
| criminal history); (ii) arrived in the U.S. as a child; and | | | | (including most Republicans) who insist that, before |
| (iii) have continuously resided in the U.S. for at least | | | | any action on legalization is considered, a border |
| five (5) years prior to the bill's enactment. | | | | crackdown must demonstrate its effectiveness. |
| CIR ASAP also provides for increased training and | | | | Only time will tell whether we receive the |
| equipment for United States Customs and Border | | | | much-needed reform of our broken immigration |
| Protection, improved conditions for immigration | | | | system. |