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Wednesday, January 30, 2013

U.S. Immigration Reform Proposal from Barack Obama's Administration

U.S. President Barack Obama (the Indonesian "prodigal son") has laid out a new proposal or plan for U.S. immigration reform.  Be careful who you vote for or support, as that political candidate can and does turn into a wolf in sheep's clothing.

The proposals will make it even more difficult for Indonesians to emigrate out from Indonesia and immigrate into the United States; and for any Indonesian Visa over-stays or illegal immigrants, don't expect lenient or blanket "amnesty" to be granted to you. 

Here is a summary of President Obama's proposals below. Full story here.




"Gang Of Eight"

A bipartisan group of senators have come together to address the issue of immigration reform. The group consists of four members of each party -- Democratic Sens. Chuck Schumer of New York, Dick Durbin of Illinois, Bob Menendez of New Jersey and Michael Bennet of Colorado, plus Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Marco Rubio of Florida, John McCain of Arizona and Jeff Flake of Arizona. Their framework was announced Monday.


Pathway To Citizenship

A "tough but fair" road to citizenship is the main tenet of the bipartisan immigrant plan. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) is the most significant supporter of this idea, giving hope to those who doubt Republicans will support the plan.


The New Process

The new process of obtaining citizenship would be just that -- a process. Probationary citizens would be required to pass an additional background check, learn English, pay taxes and show that they have a history of employment to apply for permanent residence and a green card.

Undocumented immigrants will receive green cards after all probationary citizens have been processed, ensuring that documented immigrants are addressed first.

Separate processes would be designed for young undocumented immigrants who came to the US as children and agricultural workers.


Enforcement, Then Green Cards

The first goal, before any green cards are handed out, is to "demonstrate our commitment to securing our borders and combating visa overstays," the senators say in their framework.


Enhance Border Security And Drones

Emphasizing enforcement measures, the framework calls for increased boarder control, including more border agents and aerial surveillance and drones. A new system would be added to ensure visa stays are being adhered to, along with a commission of border lawmakers to aid legislation.


Increase Employment Verification

The senators have proposed to create an "effective employment verification system" that would help prevent identity theft while allowing employers to feel secure in hiring documented immigrants.


No Benefits For Probationary Immigrants

Immigrants who are in the probationary category would not be eligible for federal benefits in the senators' framework. This addresses the concern that public benefits, particularly health-related ones, are being spent on undocumented immigrants.


An Easier Path For 'The Best And Brightest'

The framework recognizes that a different sort of process would be needed for "the best and brightest," including highly-skilled workers and those with higher education. This has been previously addressed in the STEM Act which was ultimately vetoed by the White House.



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