Jul
24
Al Sharpton and Wal-Mart CEO Team up for Immigration Bill
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Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott and civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton joined forces on Tuesday in a call for the US Congress to pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill.
Sharpton and Scott were speaking before the National Council of La Raza, the largest U.S. Hispanic civil rights organization, in Miami Beach, Florida.
Scott says, “Congress needs to pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill now.”
Sharpton says, “I want to say what a lot of people won’t say. The immigration debate is not simply about border security, it is a problem of America dealing with race.”
To read more about this story, click here.
Jul
10
Microsoft To Open Canadian Offices After Immigration Bill Defeat
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US computer giant Microsoft has announced plans to build a software development center in Vancouver, Canada after the recent comprehensive immigration reform bill (aka the ‘Strive Act’ or the ‘Z’ Visa) was defeated in the US Senate.
If the bill had been approved by the Senate, companies such as Microsoft would have been able to hire a higher number of skilled workers from overseas. But the controversial bill never made it through the Senate after opponents called the bill an ‘amnesty’ for illegal immigrants.
Current restrictions on work visas are proving very difficult for big companies - for example, only 85000 H-1B visa’s were allocated this year despite 150000 applications.
If Microsoft build their development center in Canada, there will be no similar restrictions on the hiring of skilled foreign labor.
Microsoft chairman Bill Gates says, “Unfortunately, our immigration policies are driving away the world’s best and brightest, precisely when we need them most.”
To read more about this story, click here.
Jul
3
The death of the current comprehensive immigration reform bill in the Senate has caused concern for wheat farmers across the US who rely on foreign labor to bring in wheat crops.
The defeat of the immigration bill means that people such as combine operator leader Thomas Murphy will face great difficulty finding enough crew members to cut the wheat.
Almost 2500 legal immigrants from countries such as South Africa, Australia and New Zealand who work in the US as wheat cutters are responsible for almost one-third of all the wheat in a $7.7 billion market. The failure of the immigration bill will result in an already serious labor shortage turning critical.
US Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns says, “You’ll have labor that simply doesn’t get done. We have a system that doesn’t work very well, so they’re really struggling.”
To read more about this story, click here.
Jun
27
US President George Bush discussed comprehensive immigration reform at a press meeting yesterday at the White House.
Here is the press release of the President’s speech in full:
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. Please be seated. Thanks for coming. Thanks for working on an immigration bill that’s important for this country. I appreciate your efforts and I appreciate your time.
I do want to thank Secretary Gutierrez and Secretary Chertoff for their hard work. And one of the things I told members of the Senate, that the administration is going to be involved in crafting a comprehensive bill that’s good for the country. And I said we’re going to be more than just giving speeches, or using the microphone to proclaim the need for a comprehensive bill. I would send two members plus our staff up to — two members of my Cabinet plus our staff up to work the — to work with the senators. Read more
Jun
26
US Senators have voted to revive the comprehensive immigration reform bill (aka the ‘Z’ Visa) that collapsed two and a half weeks ago in the Senate.
Although the procedural vote was passed 64 to 35, there is no guarantee that the bill will survive. But many of the bill’s supporters are optimistic about its chances the second time around.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says, “Immigrants are the strength of this country, and this legislation honors that fact.”
US President George Bush says the bill is “a careful compromise. The bill we’ve worked hard to craft is an important piece of legislation that addresses the needs of a failed system.”
To read more about this story, click here.
Jun
22
Immigrant Opinions on Z Visa
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A poll released by the LA Times shows a majority of illegal immigrants in the US would heed the current immigration reform bill battling its way through the Senate.
According to the survey of 1,600 undocumented Hispanic immigrants, the immigrants are willing to pay fines and undergo background checks, but they are less willing to return to their home countries to apply for the ‘Z’ Visa.
If however their return to the US were guaranteed, the immigrants would not be afraid to go home.
New America Media spokeswoman Maria Cardona says, “This is a debate that is going to affect 12 million people, and up until now, no one has known what they’re thinking. This poll gives us the voice of the undocumented immigrant who is going to be affected by this, and it gives policymakers an important insight to the practicality of the bill they’re discussing.”
To read more about this story, click here.
Jun
21
Republicans Determined to Stop Immigration Bill
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A group of Republican senators have expressed their determination to ban the current comprehensive immigration reform bill being debated in the US Senate, and prevent it from ever coming into law.
Republican Senators such as South Carolina’s Jim DeMint argue that the bill is nothing but an amnesty for millions of illegal immigrants in the US, and that passage of the bill would only encourage more illegal immigration to the country.
The Senators claim they will torpedo the bill when the Senate resumes debate on it next week.
DeMint says, “The process has been rigged from the beginning, which we think gives us justification to use every measure possible to slow this thing down and stop it.”
To read more about this story, click here.
Jun
13
Americans Back Immigration Reform
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A poll released by the Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg News shows that a majority of Americans are in favor of comprehensive immigration reform and support action to allow illegal immigrants to become legal US citizens.
Of those polled, only 23 per cent were opposed to immigrants becoming legal citizens after paying the appropriate fines, learning to speak English as well as other requirements outlined under the StriveAct, or ‘Z’ Visa.
Despite the many requirements that would need to be fulfilled before citizenship is granted, many Republicans accuse the bill of being ‘Amnesty’.
The poll also shows that President George Bush’s approval rating has fallen from 45 per cent last September (06) to 34 per cent, and his approval rating amongst Republicans has fallen from 83 per cent last year (06) to 70 per cent.
To read more about this story, click here.
Jun
4
US Senator John McCain has expressed his support for the current comprehensive immigration reform bill, also known as the ‘Z’ Visa, during a speech today in Florida.
McCain, who is in the race to become the next president of the United States, accused his fellow Republican presidential hopefuls of causing a great deal of harm by criticizing the immigration bill without offering any real alternatives.
The senator from Arizona is one of few Republican presidential candidates who support the ‘Z’ Visa, which would legalize millions of illegal immigrants and put them on the path to legitimate US citizenship.
McCain says, “To want the office so badly that you would intentionally make our country’s problems worse might prove you can read a poll or take a cheap shot, but it hardly demonstrates presidential leadership. To do nothing now would be an unconscionable abrogation of our responsibilities to defend the security, prosperity and values of our country. Amnesty is what we gave in 1986 - and it didn’t work. It was unconditional forgiveness for breaking our laws. “
May
31
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) has released a statement warning the general public of any people or organizations who claim to assist immigrants in applying for the ‘Z’ Visa.
The ‘Z’ Visa, or Strive Act, is at present a comprehensive immigration reform bill and not a law.
The USCIS press release is as follows:
USCIS Advises Public Regarding Immigration Fraud and Proposed Immigration Reform Legislation
This notice is to inform the public that although the U.S. Senate is debating and considering immigration legislation (S.1348), that bill has NOT passed into law. Legislation must be passed by both the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, and signed by the President, before it becomes law. Information about the legislative process is available from the Library of Congress (http://thomas.loc.gov/).
If immigration reform legislation does become law, U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will advise the public on how to proceed. Until then, individuals should be cautious of any persons, organizations or businesses claiming to assist in applying for benefits under the immigration reform legislation.