Senate Judiciary Committee Debates E-Verify Provisions of the Immigration Reform Bill

Mooers Immigration — Fri, 17 May 2013 17:09:29 +0000

Today’s blog will focus on the results of yesterday’s Senate Judiciary Committee markup of the Immigration Reform bill.

After yesterday’s session, the bill’s provisions dealing with the future hiring of unauthorized workers remained fundamentally unchanged. Among the most contentious amendments considered was a proposal by Senator Grassley to have E-Verify in place 18 months after the date of enactment. Senator Schumer noted that the proposed timeline was unrealistic, and the amendment failed by a vote of 5-13. Senator Grassley also proposed to substantially increase the 5-year maximum penalty for document fraud to a 20-year sentence. The amendment failed by a slim margin of 8-10.

Among the amendments to the interior enforcement provisions that made it out of Committee were a proposal to require annual accuracy audits to prevent a high rate of legal workers who get turned down by the system; a proposal to allow parents to limit the use of their children’s social security numbers to protect them against identity theft; and a proposal requiring USCIS to provide weekly E-Verify non-confirmation reports to ICE.

We will continue our commentary on these debates as the Committee reconvenes next Monday, May 20^th.

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Mooers Immigration has long been engaged in Comprehensive Immigration Reform, responding to Congressional inquiries on policy and law issues. We are regularly asked to assist elected officials and their staff to understand both the benefits and consequences of various proposals for reform.

Senate Judiciary Committee Turns Focus to Internal Enforcement

Mooers Immigration — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:00:28 +0000

Today’s blog continues our report on the Senate Judiciary Committee’s markup of the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act.

This week, the Senate Judiciary Committee plowed through multiple amendments to the Immigration Reform bill. The Committee finished its consideration of amendments to the bill’s provisions related to border security and reforms to nonimmigrant visa programs. Senators from the “Gang of Eight” have remained committed to their compromise to see the bill move forward.

As the Committee continues its markup, consideration of the bill’s internal enforcement provisions will likely be a more strenuous process. Among the provisions under consideration today will be mandatory use of E-verify and employer penalties associated with employment of unauthorized foreign nationals. Provisions aimed at reducing current backlogs at immigration courts by increasing the discretion of immigration judges will also be considered.

We will continue our commentary on the Senate Judiciary Committee’s markup of the Immigration Reform bill as it has yet to consider some of the most controversial portions of the proposed legislation, including the legalization of undocumented immigrants, the elimination of the diversity visa lottery, and the elimination of immigrant visa categories for sponsorship of brothers and sisters of US citizens.

Mooers Immigration » E-Verify

Senate Judiciary Committee Debates E-Verify Provisions of the Immigration Reform Bill

Senate Judiciary Committee Turns Focus to Internal Enforcement