Senate Immigration Bill Revealed

[JoseG 383]

After months of negotiations, a bipartisan group of eight Senators has drafted a blueprint that would sharply transform the nation’s current immigration laws. NBC Latino obtained an advanced memo of the bill’s main points ahead of an announcement. Here are some brief key provisions:

Pathway to citizenship for undocumented

The bill provides a path to citizenship for the nation’s approximately 11 million undocumented immigrants as long as they entered the country before December 31, 2011. Undocumented immigrants without serious criminal convictions have one year – though that may be extended - to apply for Registered Provisional Immigrant Status (RPI). This would allow them to be in this country legally, work for any employer and travel outside of the United States. While RPI confers legal status, it does not make individuals eligible for public benefits, including healthcare under the Affordable Care Act. The costs to apply for RPI status are a $500 fine, assessed taxes and application fees.

After 10 years, a person with RPI status will be eligible for a green card provided they have worked regularly, paid taxes, learned English and civics, and paid a $1,000 penalty. After three years with a green card, they can apply for citizenship.

Dreamers can get their green cards in 5 years, and will be eligible for citizenship immediately after that. Under a new AgJOBS Act, undocumented farm workers who have been working in the U.S. would be eligible for an Agricultural Card, and if they pay taxes and a $400 fine they and their spouses and minor children can adjust to legal permanent resident status.

The bill addresses the issue of families who have been separated through deportation. Undocumented immigrants who had been deported for non-criminal reasons but who had been in the U.S. before the end of 2011 can reapply to re-enter and apply for RPI status, if they are the spouse of or parent to a child who is a U.S. citizen or legal resident, or a Dreamer eligible for the DREAM Act.

SOURCE

Here's a 19 page Outline if anyone cares to read it.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/136230105/Outline-of-the-Border-Security-Economic-Opportunity-and-Immigration-Modernization-Act-of-2013

[theaviator360 4]

Wow,good to hear that

[Aled 118]

I'm just wondering that while we apply for this reform or RPI will it be similar to what advanced parole is like right now...? Meaning risky to travel abroad?

I have so much questions that come to mind, speculating will do no good...

Very eager to see what's up and coming.

[Osha 126]

People brought here illegally as youths would have a faster path: they could get green cards in five years and would become eligible for citizenship immediately thereafter.

U.S. citizens would no longer be able to sponsor their siblings for eventual U.S. citizenship, a change activist groups have opposed. Also eliminated would be the government's Diversity Visa Lottery Program, which randomly awards 55,000 visas to immigrants from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/04/16/bipartisan-senate-immigration-bill-provides-path-to-citizenship-for-millions/#ixzz2QcNDAqQS

[Gezinha 121]

Oh God...we can travel outside of the country without waiting for GC???? That is all I wanted to ever hear! Thank you Obama and Gang of 8!!!!!

[Gezinha 121]

Well, that is not fair to the 55,000 other people that could come here. Wow, a real bummer, torally uncalled for, that opens no opportunities for honest people from other countries. I hope, at least they have less beurocracy when other people try to apply to come here. Really unfair for those people.

[Laste31 41]

Lets see if they actually approve it! What about the people that have TPS? My mom has been here for 16 years and when the hurricane happened in my country (Honduras) she was eligible to apply for that law and since then she's got a work permit and social if course. I'm wondering if she would get a green card faster?

[dreamer123 9]

Wait so Youth like us will have to wait 5 years or 2 years before getting a green card? We should be faster right because We all ready went through the background check process?

[Gezinha 121]

So, I read the bill that was revelaed today...and does this mean that even if this passes it will not go into effect until the government is satisfied with borders security? Like, if it takes 3 years for the fence to be secure, only in 3 years this will be in effect? Omg, dude, I'm losing hope here, I am seriously gonna cry right now.

[glew 0]

Oh God...we can travel outside of the country without waiting for GC???? That is all I wanted to ever hear! Thank you Obama and Gang of 8!!!!!

where does it say we would be able to do that, and what would we use when were traveling if we dont need a gc

[JoseG 383]

Hopefully they release the entire thing today.

[Gezinha 121]

I just read another article,and it said they woud come up with a biometric travelling card of some sort to differentiate the people who are here under provision and the ones that are just travelling. I read it here:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/politics/senators-immigration-legislation-provisions/

[Aled 118]

So, I read the bill that was revelaed today...and does this mean that even if this passes it will not go into effect until the government is satisfied with borders security? Like, if it takes 3 years for the fence to be secure, only in 3 years this will be in effect? Omg, dude, I'm losing hope here, I am seriously gonna cry right now.

It seems promising for us Dreamers as well as people under the TPS program. Our time to be able to acquire a residency as well as citizenship seems we won't actually have to wait those ten years.

[glew 0]

i still dont understand and 5 years is a long time im trying to understand the part where we would be able to travel without a gc

[Gezinha 121]

I have a question, it might seem dumb, but please answer me WHAT ARE DREAMERS? How do they deffer from the rest of the people? Are people under DACA automatically considered dreamers? Bc I always thought dreamer were only people in college. Or are they people who WANT to get into college? Sorry, this is as dumb as it gets, but I never understood this. The majority of people I know have documentation and "Dreamers" was not a big word around where I live.

[JoseG 383]

I have a question, it might seem dumb, but please answer me WHAT ARE DREAMERS? How do they deffer from the rest of the people? Are people under DACA automatically considered dreamers? Bc I always thought dreamer were only people in college. Or are they people who WANT to get into college? Sorry, this is as dumb as it gets, but I never understood this. The majority of people I know have documentation and "Dreamers" was not a big word around where I live.

Basically people who were brought here by their parents as kids and never left.

Grew up here, went to school here, basically grew up as Americans.

[theaviator360 4]

Are we gonna have to apply for RPI? or stay with our work permits?

[JoseG 383]

That's still not known yet.

[Santi 353]

Pathway to citizenship for undocumented

The bill provides a path to citizenship for the nation’s approximately 11 million undocumented immigrants as long as they entered the country before December 31, 2011. Undocumented immigrants without serious criminal convictions have one year – though that may be extended - to apply for Registered Provisional Immigrant Status (RPI). This would allow them to be in this country legally, work for any employer and travel outside of the United States. While RPI confers legal status, it does not make individuals eligible for public benefits, including healthcare under the Affordable Care Act. The costs to apply for RPI status are a $500 fine, assessed taxes and application fees.

After 10 years, a person with RPI status will be eligible for a green card provided they have worked regularly, paid taxes, learned English and civics, and paid a $1,000 penalty. After three years with a green card, they can apply for citizenship.

Dreamers can get their green cards in 5 years, and will be eligible for citizenship immediately after that. Under a new AgJOBS Act, undocumented farm workers who have been working in the U.S. would be eligible for an Agricultural Card, and if they pay taxes and a $400 fine they and their spouses and minor children can adjust to legal permanent resident status...

This is interesting...

Some nice filters have been put in place, and they are not going to allow undocumented people to apply for RPI if they have not been here for around 2 years or more.

Regarding the RPI itself, it is interesting that they will allow people with RPI to travel outside the US. I wonder what measures will be in place...will we get in trouble if we travel constantly? will there be a cap in the amount of time that we will be able to stay abroad? if so, how long is the cap? 1 month, 15 days? What if you are working for a multinational and have to work abroad for a longer period of time? What if you decide to join an NGO, and want to travel abroad for humanitarian reasons (peace corps, DWBs, etc etc)?

In regards to the fine, I see how they have allocated the ~$2,000. $500 first to apply for RPI, $1,000 later to apply for a Green Card. I guess that is not taking into account application fees, which could make the fine somewhat higher. I also found interesting that taxes would be assessed...as in Sales Tax, as if we are buying something? or, will the taxes comprise the income taxes that were 'foregone' while we were here undocumented? If so, the fine could be significantly higher for some...

We have to really analyze the ambiguous language used, since that is a staple of Common Law: language that is open to interpretation by a judge, with or without precedents...

I also like how they have severed our wait time for a Green Card by half, and basically not having to wait to apply for citizenship, according to the outline...However, will it be wise to apply for citizenship right after receiving the Green Card? Perhaps we will have to wait some time (not three years) to apply for citizenship...

As I read through the outline, the total cost to apply for citizenship, without taking into account 'income taxes,' attorney fees, and others, will be around $4000-5,000, which is right along my assumptions...

Let us wait and see how this bill performs in congress...

[erika020 87]

so question .... are they still gonna release the whole bill today (with more details/explanations) ? or did they end up postponing it for tomorrow?

[Osha 126]

so question .... are they still gonna release the whole bill today (with more details/explanations) ? or did they end up postponing it for tomorrow?

The immigration bill have been unveiled. John McCain and I think Chuck Schumer are supposed to meet with the president soon.

[pswa83 302]

ok, question.

in reading the proposed bill, i keep seeing the "DREAM Act" used. is the bill using the "DREAM Act" and "DACA" interchangably??

from what i understand the "DREAM Act" and "DACA" have 2 sets of requirements. also, wondering this because "DREAM Act" never passed.

[itzel 336]

@pswa83: exactly what I thought!!! I actually read the 19 pages and didnt see a mention of the DREAM act which seems to be is being used parallel with DACA..seems exciting to me if its true we wont have to pay fines...

[Osha 126]

@pswa83: exactly what I thought!!! I actually read the 19 pages and didnt see a mention of the DREAM act which seems to be is being used parallel with DACA..seems exciting to me if its true we wont have to pay fines...

The reason why they're not using the word Dream Act is because the process for the Dream Act is pretty much covered by DACA, they don't see a point of creating another program for "Dreamers", because that process is already in place. Its also important to note that this bill is going to change a whole lot when it comes to the Senate floor for debate.

[JoseG 383]

From my understanding, DACA approved will be grandfathered into "Provisional Legal Status" which is like being a Permanent Resident, with some restrictions. After 5 years, we will be able to become full Permanent Residents, while at the same time, become eligible to apply for Citizenship.

New Info:

In such a climate, the Senate bill is much less restrictive in terms of its eligibility criteria and more generous in what it offers than were previous versions of the DREAM Act, according to a legislative summary of the bill and additional details provided by a Senate aide.

The Senate bill states that potential DREAMers must have been brought to the US at age 15 or before, been present in the US since Dec. 31, 2011, obtain a high school diploma or equivalent, and pursue higher education or serve in the military.

After five years, DREAMers not only will be eligible for green cards (otherwise known as a “legal permanent resident”), but also will become immediately eligible for US citizenship. That’s versus a minimum of 10 years for a green card and 15 years for citizenship for most other undocumented people.

Praeli credits Sen. Richard Durbin (D) of Illinois, the majority whip and longtime sponsor of a DREAM Act, for playing a key role in securing this five-year path to US citizenship, the fastest such route offered by any DREAM bill.

What’s gone? While previous DREAM bills restricted eligibility to those under the age of 30, the current Senate bill has no such cap. Past measures required five years of continuous residency in the US – the current measure stipulates only the time individuals must have been brought into the country and their age at that point.

This lifting of the age caps was a key DREAMer demand, Praeli says. “It is only logical that for someone who has been here since before the age of 16, but they are now 35 or 40, they have greater equities [in the US] than someone who is younger," she says. "It’s almost like logic came back to people: ‘Oh, yes, someone who has been ‘aged out’ is still a dreamer.' ”

Moreover, potential DREAMers who have been deported would be allowed to apply for inclusion in the policy if they would otherwise have been able to apply except for the fact of their deportation, a new avenue not available in prior legislation. Previous DREAM bills not only offered hope to those already deported, but also explicitly declined to shield from deportation potential DREAMers still in the US.

The Senate bill would also repeal the law that some states interpret as barring the undocumented from receiving in-state tuition rates at public universities, another novel development.

And then there is the fact that DREAMers' path to citizenship is easier than for others in the US illegally. Only DREAMers and longtime agricultural workers would be able to get on a route to US citizenship without waiting for certain border security metrics to be reached.

While the vast majority of illegal immigrants in America will have to pay as much as $1,500 apiece in fines, the DREAMers will avoid most of those charges.

Those who have already been offered temporary protection – some 450,000 as of the end of March – would be “grandfathered” in to provisional legal status.