The House Republican leaders are preparing to release a set of principles that will be the guidelines for a House immigration overhaul. The immigration overhaul could cause the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. illegally to be free from fear of deportation. This is the first time that the GOP has explicitly endorsed allowing illegal immigrants to remain and work in the United States.
This is a significant step towards immigration reform, as the original push towards handling this issue was stalled by the GOP when the bill passed by the Senate moved to the House last year. The document that is being reviewed does not include a path to citizenship, but the Wall Street Journal claims that it represents a step towards what immigration advocates and Democrats have been seeking since immigration reform became a popular item on the political agenda last year.
The principles which could be released as early as next week prior to President Obama's state of the union address. The timing for the immigration legislation is unclear, but it may be circulated among House Republicans for action within 2014. The House Speaker is currently developing a one-page document addressing immigration reform with the help of the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.
The current bill contains few details but it voices support for some of the highlighted actions in the Senate's comprehensive bill. These include border security, a temporary worker program for low-skilled workers, stepped-up employment verification, visas for high-technology workers, and a path to citizenship for immigration children brought into the U.S. as minors by their parents.
Unlike the Senate's comprehensive bill, this House plans to pass each piece of legislation separately. This way, the politicians can carefully scrutinize each measure, instead of passing them all in one large motion. The House has also come up with a proposition for legal status for undocumented immigrants. According to The Wall Street Journal, the legal status would be a reward after an illegal immigrant admits guilt, pays fines, and also covers any owed taxes. The House maintains that now motions to create a legal path to citizenship should be permitted until border security and other enforcement measures are in place.
Immigration advocates have pressed for citizenship instead of legalization, and want to be treated as American citizens instead of what some are calling a "permanent second-class status." Legislation that cleared the Senate last summer provides a 13-year path to citizenship for those who meet qualification but the House has already struck this down. While many immigration advocates are still cautious about supporting the immigration propositions from the House, some are welcoming the change of attitude. This is because the House stalled even addressing immigration legislation for many months.
Some see the movement to start passing bits of legislation as a welcome step forward, while others are still frustrated that the Senate bill was struck down, as it covered almost all areas of immigration in one giant leap. Some immigration advocates say that the move towards immigration reform is encouraging considering that some Republicans advocated self-deportation only a few years ago.
If you are dealing with an immigration situation at present, you may want to hire an immigration attorney to help you with your case today. With the right lawyer there to help you, you may be able to use some of the pending legislation to your benefit, or may be able to stall your case until you see the outcome of the House's reconsideration of immigration laws. With immigration laws changing at a rapid pace, there could be significant changes in the way that your case is handled. Hire a local immigration lawyer that is up to day if you want the greatest advantage in your case.