On Tuesday, December 15, Congressman Luis V. Gutierrez (D-IL) introduced new legislation, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America’s Security and Prosperity Act of 2009 (CIR ASAP), in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“We have waited patiently for a workable solution to our immigration crisis to be taken up by this Congress and our President,” said Representative. Gutierrez. It is the product of months of collaboration with civil rights advocates, labor organizations, and members of Congress. It is an answer to too many years of pain —mothers separated from their children, workers exploited and undermined security at the border— all caused at the hands of a broken immigration system. This bill says ‘enough,’ and presents a solution to our broken system that we as a nation of immigrants can be proud of.”
One of the most contentious provisions of the bill is likely to be the creation of a legalization program for qualified undocumented immigrants, their spouses and children. In order to qualify, undocumented immigrants would be required to establish that they have been in the U.S. illegally before December 15, 2009. Among other requirements, those who qualify would receive a “conditional nonimmigrant visa” which would be valid for 6 years.
Among the bill’s many components, it contains provisions for beefing up border security and achieving effective immigration enforcement; numerous provisions for improving detention condition; creates an employment verification system for employers to verify the work of new hires; and includes the farm workers AGJOBS Act of 2009, which allows unauthorized farm workers to legalize their status and reforms the H2-A temporary agriculture worker visa program.
It is not clear yet when the new immigration bill would be discussed in the House, but many commentators have suggested though, if the past is any guide, when the debate does happen it is likely to be very contentious and its passage uncertain.
Congressman Gutierrez was joined on Tuesday by members of many different faiths and backgrounds, including the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Black Caucus, Asian Pacific American Caucus and Progressive Caucus.
What nonsense. Far too many people forget that the illegal alien is not supposed to be in America in the first place. Representative Guitierrez’s proposal is completely disloyal to America.
He should be working for Puerto Rican independence only and nothing else.