« NY agency reports “exceptionally difficult” summer for J1ers | Main | Government gives $1.3 million to US groups »
Justice for Immigrants urges action following cloture vote
By Noreen Bowden | June 27, 2007
The immigration reform bill which was reintroduced in the US Senate has passed the first of many hurdles; yesterday the first cloture vote to proceed passed by a vote of 64-35. The Justice for Immigrants campaign has issued an alert urging all Americans to call their senators. Here is the text of the alert:
TAKE 5 AND CALL YOUR SENATORS TODAY!
Call 202-224-3121 and ask for your Senator’s office now.Ask them to:
Support family-reunification amendments
- Amendment # 1199 (Dodd): This would increase the number of visas that are available for parents of U.S. citizens, and would extend the number of days each year that non-immigrant parents could visit families in the United States.
- Amendment # 1317 (Menendez): This would modify the point system to give greater weight to family ties for green-card applicants. Family members could receive up to fifteen points in their application, rather than the ten points that would currently be given to family members in the base bill.
Support a workable legalization program
- Amendment # 1236 (Baucus-Tester): This amendment would strike provisions that make the bill’s legalization program dependent upon the systematic implementation of REAL ID documents. Several states have already passed laws rejecting to implement REAL ID; additionally, best estimates are that this program would take many years and billions of dollars to execute. This amendment would set more realistic goals and expectations for when the legalization program could take effect.
Oppose provisions endangering vulnerable immigrants
- Amendment # 1473 (Coleman): This is a slightly modified version of an amendment that was narrowly defeated in this year’s Senate immigration debate. In spite of these changes, the amendment would still prevent local law enforcement officials from choosing to afford certain protections to vulnerable immigrants who are preyed upon by criminals.
Visit the Justice for Immigrants campaign.
Topics: Latest News, US, US immigration reform, Visas | No Comments »