Border Amendment to Immigration Bill Passes in the Senate
Posted on Jun 26, 2013 2:47pm PDT
After much deliberation, the Senate has official added border security measures to the immigration bill so that they will be able to proceed with the 1,200 document that may provide a pathway to citizenship for up to 11 million immigrants. According to The Huffington Post, the Senate is now determining whether the amendments to the bill should go for votes before the full legislation is voted upon. The Senate will take a recess for July 4th, and they want to make many of their decisions by then.
The border amendment passed in a 69-29 vote and 15 Republicans voted in favor of the measure. Essentially this addition to the immigration bill will allow the government to provide funding for and the implementation of new border securities including an additional 700 miles of fencing, extra border patrol agents and other preventative tactics to secure the borders from those coming up through Mexico.
Many politicians say that the border security measures are mandatory in order to prevent future swells in unauthorized immigration. Individuals who are from Central and South America may try to sneak into the United States and create fraudulent documents that will make it appear as though they have been in the United States longer than they have been. Many will do this hoping that they can also tread the pathway to citizenship that may be legalized for current immigrants in the nation. The border security should be able to curb this problem from becoming a big deal and resulting in another influx of immigrants.
The gang of eight says that they hope to pass the immigration bill later this week with 70 votes in order to put pressure on the House of Representatives to consider it. Allegedly the House has already announced that the lower chamber won't bring up the senate bill. The border security amendment that was approved for inclusion in the bill will create a few additional stipulations to allow them to receive permanent residency. The government will be required to add 20,000 border patrol agents and 700 miles of border fencing before they can approve a pathway to citizenship.
The bill also requires that all necessary businesses and organizations use E-Verify. This is a system that would require employers to check the legal status for potential hires. Because all immigrants that qualify will be put on a pathway to citizenship, the government does not want other employers hiring illegals that may sneak in or overstay a visa. This E-Verify program will make sure that employers are only hiring those that are working towards their legal status. In addition, the new amendment will provide additional biometric measures that will be used at airports during security. The bill also provides the requirement for funding that will be used for surveillance.
Some senators claim that there are still problems with the bill that will present themselves despite the border security amendment. As the immigration reform issues continue to move through the political sphere, many immigrants are awaiting a decision about their future. If you are an immigrant that is dealing with visa issues, deportation defense, illegal entry problems, employment complications, or another immigration-related issue, then you can hire a lawyer to assist you.
With the fate of immigrants everywhere on hold, it is the perfect time to hire a trusted professional to help you work through your case. A wise and informed lawyer will know how to use the pending legislation to your advantage and help you negotiate through a variety of complicated situations. Please use this directory to get started today!