Immigration Reform Bill of 2007

[minionofmidas]

Given that Senator Ernest has obviously put significant consideration into this bill, that the bill is on an issue of importance and that the absence of Ernest is quite unusual, I would ask that voting be postponed for as long as is allowed under Senate rules to allow Ernest the opportunity to return and explain the text. I appreciate that the bill can be reintroduced, but this would lead to a very considerable delay on a bill which has clearly taken some effort on Ernest's part.

Hear, hear!

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Sorry for having been rather uncommunicative, but I just hadn't felt like dealing with fantasy government that much of late, though I has meant to check in with the Senate business a bit more than I did.

Section 1 of the bill phases in over three years a 25% increase of the level of annual general purpose legal immigration, and thereafter indexes the level to the Atlasian population.

The first section 2 provides for indexing, but no increase in the numbers of nonimmigrant visas.

The second section 2 clarifies what is to be considered a country or a dependent area for purposes of immigration law.  It should have little effect on where legal immigrants actually come from, though it might increase Chinese immigration slightly as it causes the autonomous regions of Tibet, Xinjiang, etc. to have separate quota limits.

Section 3 ends a exemption from quota limits for Amerasian children begotten from our involvement in Vietnam.  Since any such "children" would be at least 25 years old, and the amicable relations we have with all of the countries in the region, I see no reason to keep that exemption alive for any who have not already taken advantage of it.

Section 4 ends the bar to polygamists from coming to our country.  It does so in a way that provisions of the immigration code that serve to encourage the reunification of families aren't applied in a manner that would skew in favor of polygamists, lest such marriages be engaged in only for the purpose of trying to game the immigration system.

Section 5 ends a provision for special Guam-only tourist visas.

Section 6 toughens the penalties for farmers caught using illegal agricultural labor by eliminating a potential loophole so that the farmer can't avoid the penalty by "transferring" the property to a family member or the like by having the bar to the use of H-2A visa apply not just to the employer, but also any land he was using at the time.

Sections 7 and 11 provide an increase in fines and fees  that haven't been increased in some time.

Section 8 recognizes that since we've generally legalized prostitution in Atlasia, it makes no sense to bar people from immigrating here to engage in a legal occupation.

Section 9 takes a special purpose account and merges it back into the general fund.

Section 10 simplifies federal wages so that special overtime rules for border agents no longer exist.  It does so in a manner that is intended to be neutral overall in the amount of pay that border agent receive.

Section 12 is part of my longstanding efforts to metrify where possible.  It does increase the distances by approximately 25% so as to obtain round numbers.

Section 13 ends a subsidy to the States (primarily Florida) for incarcerating certain criminals Castro sent over during the Mariel boatlift in 1980.

Section 14 cuts down on the amount of government paperwork.

Section 15 would have granted the children of illegal immigrants status as Atlasian nationals instead of Atlasian citizens.  As such they would be eligible to apply for citizenship with no quota limits and their children (if born in Atlasia) would automatically be citizens.  It was intended to reduce the incentive for illegal immigration without creating a permanent underclass.

Sections 16 and 17 were intended as cost savings measures.

Section 18 removes a restriction on local government decisions by allowing local governments to decide for themselves if they wish to grant resident illegal aliens lower in-area tuition rates or not.

Section 19 requires employers to use an improved database for checking whether SSN's are valid and tightens up the requirements on what documents constitute proof of being legally able to work.  The program is currently voluntary, but this section would require all employers with more than a certain number of workers (I'd have to go back and check the bill it references for the limit, tho IIRC it's 10).

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Since you've gone ahead and struck section 15 during my absence (Given the passage of the Why Bother with Borders Bill I doubt the result would have been different had I been active.) let me take advantage of that to suggest a change in the bill to correct a flaw I discovered while providing a per section summary.

The second section 2  shall be renumbered to section 15 and placed accordingly in the bill.

[minionofmidas]

Introducing an amendment to strike §7 and §11.

[Ebowed]

We are voting on the following amendment
The second section 2  shall be renumbered to section 15 and placed accordingly in the bill.


Aye

[Colin]

Aye

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Aye

[minionofmidas]

Aye

[DownWithTheLeft]

Aye

[Јas]

Aye

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Nay

Just to be different.

[Ebowed]

The amendment passes.

We will now vote on whether to strike Sections 7 and 11.


Aye

[minionofmidas]

Introducing an amendment to strike §7 and §11.

The amendment passes.

We will now vote on whether to strike Sections 7 and 15.


Aye

Ahem.

[Ebowed]

Introducing an amendment to strike §7 and §11.

The amendment passes.

We will now vote on whether to strike Sections 7 and 15.


Aye

Ahem.

Typo.  Proceed as usual

[minionofmidas]

Aye

[DownWithTheLeft]

Nay

[Colin]

Aye

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Nay

[Brandon H]

Nay

[Јas]

Aye

[Ebowed]

The amendment passes.

[Јas]

We are now voting on final passage of this bill.

The bill is as stated on page 1, excepot such that sections 7, 11 and 15 were removed and the second section2 was renumber as the new section 15.

[DownWithTheLeft]

Aye

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Aye

[PBrunsel]

Aye