From: http://www.immigration-law.com/
05/17/2007: Shocking Compromise Poised to be Announced Before the Senate Floor's Rescheduled CIR Debate on Monday, 05/21/2007
* The following report of the AILA requires the immediate action by the immigration stateholders and supporters, particularly legal immigration community!
o "It appears that Senate Democrats, Republicans and the White House are poised to announce that their backroom negotiations have produced a "grand bargain." The deal, as described, raises at least four major concerns. As a trade-off for a strong legalization program (including AgJOBS and the DREAM Act) and significant reductions in the current family backlogs, the negotiators propose to:
+ (1) Eliminate four of the current family preference categories (1, 2B, 3, and 4);
+ (2) Overhaul our current employment-based immigration system and replace it with a "merit-based" point system;
+ (3) Maintain annual green card numbers at their current levels guaranteeing continued systemic dysfunction from burgeoning backlogs; and
+ (4) Preclude a meaningful path to permanent residence for new temporary workers.
o This radical shift from an immigration system grounded in familial and employment relationships to one disconnected from direct ties to the U.S. amounts to large-scale social experimentation. Combined with the creation of a large, fluctuating pool of "guest workers" who cannot lay down roots in the U.S., this point system raises the specter of a new generation of immigrants lacking the infrastructure and opportunity to effectively assimilate into this country. A practical solution for the undocumented population is an enormously important step in the right direction. But the cost of fixing our current problems cannot be the creation of bigger problems in the future."
* Please contact your Senators now and urge them to oppose any deal that:
o Eviscerates family-based immigration;
Includes a radical new, untested "merit" system;
Fails to expand the pool of green cards critical to high-skilled and low-skilled industries throughout our economy; and
Prevents temporary workers from earning and pursuing permanent residence.
* This webside all along has been advocating and supporting a balanced approach to the comprehensive immigration reform legislation and national policy. This so-called Grand Bargain has tipped the scale completely 180% around in that it focuses on the illegal immigration reform at the sacrifice of legal immigration system including both family-based and employment-based immigration. What this compromise is attempting to do is to accept flood of temporary or illegal immigrants (millions) and narrow the door for future legal immigrants (both family-based and employment-based).
* This is the time for the immigrant community to stand up, unite, and fight against such crippled immigration reform. Please start contacting Senators, Congress people, employers, and other groups to publicize the upcoming twisted backdoor compromise. Please read yesterday's posting on Senator Durbin's statement on the floor. It is dispicable that the CIR which they themselves passed last year is opposed by the same people who participated and voted for the bill!_(o) _(o) _(o)