Border Control Going Out of Control

Washington recently released a draft of an upcoming immigration legislation in response to the presence of 11 million to 12 million illegal immigrants working in the country. On April 9th, President Bush spoke at the border of Mexico and Arizona about his new immigration plans. Bush comments that “illegal immigrants who have roots in our country and want to stay” would have the means to do such. He argues that with his plan “approval would not be automatic [and that] they would have to wait in line behind those who played by the rules and followed the law.”

The plan would include a proposal for “Z” visas, which are three-year work visas that are renewable but a renewal would cost $3,500 each time. These visas would give undocumented works legal status, but in order to get a green card, they would need to return to their native country, apply at the U.S. embassy or consulate and pay a $10,000 fine to re-enter the country. So basically, if an illegal immigrant wanted to stay in the U.S. with their families they would have to fork over $3,500 a year until they made enough money to pay the $10,000 fine they would need to hand over to get a green card, making it pretty damn difficult for an illegal immigrant to stay in the U.S.

Additionally the plan would increase border control by placing 370 miles of physical fencing and adding 5,000 more Border Patrol Agents at the border as well as using electronic monitoring of the southern border. The plan includes other controversial provisions such as one that prohibits temporary workers from bringing family members and another that limits visas for the immediate family of U.S. citizens in order to make green cards more available to skilled workers. So, if this legislation was adopted, some U.S. citizens would who want to sponsor their family to come to the U.S. would have to wait even longer in order to give their spots to illegal immigrant workers. It’s apparent that this new plan would hurt both illegal and prospective immigrants by pitting them against each other to scrimmage through the cracks of the closed door.

This drafts is just the beginning of the complicated procedured involved in making a bill a law. First, hearings and markups would be heard, then the committee votes and discharges the petition to the floor. There, the House and the Senate debate and amend the legislation where afterwards a Conference Committee between the House and the Senate over the final bill that will be passed. Once this is ready,the bill will be brought up to the President, and he can either veto, pocket veto or sign it.

Several immigration activists groups have already spoken up against the dangers of the plan that would severely hinder immigration efforts. Plans for reviving last year’s “Great American Boycott” are already brewing in Los Angeles as we speak.