Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill, S. 2611, Voting Activities and Results Today
Senate had the four roll calls to vote on the CIR. All these votes were related to either Temporary Guest Worker Program or Legalization of Undocumented Aliens. Two votes involved motions to table and other two votes involved amendments.
(1) Motion to Table Rejected that attempted to reduce the number of Guest Workers (H-2C) nonimmigrants to 200,000 during each fiscal year. In other words, the attempt to put a cap on the number of Guest Worker visas per year was defeated today.
(2) Motion to Table Agreed that proposed to prohibit aliens who are currently outside the U.S. from participating in the Guest Worker Program (H-2C). Accordingly, this motion will be dated and voted on the floor. If this proposal is accepted, the aliens outside of the U.S. will be deprived of the H-2C visa program.
(3) One Amendment Agreed Today: To prohibit implementation of the Title IV (H-2C) and the Title VI (Adjustment) until the President determines that implementation of such titles will strengthen the national security of the U.S. Backlog reduction and legal immigration is Title V.
(4) One Amendment which practically attempted to kill the Guest Worker Program and Legalization Program was rejected by the Senate today. The amendment would have prohibited the granting of legal status, or adjustment of current status to individual who enters or entered the U.S. in violation of federal law unless the border security measures authorized under Title I and section 233 are fully completed and fully operational.
Overall, from the perspectives of Guest Worker Program and Legalization of Illegal Aliens, the result was more or less positive.