More Immigration Bill Problems

...and if you think the Senate bill is a steaming pile, look what the immigration attorneys' webpage says about the process:

This time, Senate Republicans can be certain that no matter how harsh a bill they craft, the bill will be significantly liberalized in a two step process. First, the House's bill will likely be STRIVE, or something even more generous (and bear in mind that STRIVE is more liberal than McCain-Kennedy in the number of its beneficiaries, in addition to having SKIL, AgJOBS, DREAM, and other goodies).

This time, Senate Republicans can be certain that no matter how harsh a bill they craft, the bill will be significantly liberalized in a two step process. First, the House's bill will likely be STRIVE, or something even more generous (and bear in mind that STRIVE is more liberal than McCain-Kennedy in the number of its beneficiaries, in addition to having SKIL, AgJOBS, DREAM, and other goodies).

Second, the Conference to reconcile the Senate's tough bill with the House's liberal bill will be controlled by Democrats from both chambers, probably Sen. Kennedy and Rep. Conyers. The likely result will be something far more generous than anything the Senate will pass.

That is why Sen. Kyl has to get all the concessions from Sen. Kennedy in the bank now, while the issue is still in the Senate. This way, Sen. Kyl is assured that the final Act will be slightly tougher on enforcement than otherwise. And that is why Sen. Kennedy continues to make concession after concession necessary to move the bill along, knowing full well that during Conference, the CIR bill will become more generous.

To the great credit of the politicians of both parties, they are moving the legislative process forward in the Senate despite strong opposition from both ends of the political spectrum. And the House is doing more than waiting in the wings. As Rep. Hoyer, the House Majority Leader, has already let slip, the House is determined to act on immigration regardless of what the Senate does.

The House's bill, the first glimpse of which should be available during markup in the week of June 4th (the same week that the Senate will finalize its bill), will likely have so much good news that the bar will likely drop its collective jaw! A Conference is, therefore, very likely on this bill even if the Senate bill fails.

The bar should face up to the undeniable fact that our immigration law is broken, and badly in need of a total re-write. That is the process that the Senate has so courageously begun. Those who cannot see the trees of the Senate bill's language for the wood of the legislative process would be well counselled to heed Bismarck's admonition that 'Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made'. Lets make improvements to the extent that is possible as the process unfolds, and prepare for a feast at the end. Bon Appetit!

Of course, when attorneys say "Bon Appetit," it is usually not good news.

The Immigration bar, however, is not concerned so much about unskilled immigrants as they are about 'skilled' immigrants. This means (by and large) software engineers. Microsoft and other tech firms (the chipmakers) argue strenuously that there is a "shortage" of software and computer engineers.

That would be believable if the salaries for such folks were increasing. But they are not--either at the entry-level, nor at "experienced" levels. What's going on is simple: the software and chip manufacturers would like to import lots of cheap labor from India; H1-B visas are the vehicle, and they look to large increases in H1-B authorizations from the House bill.

That will require the assistance of the Immigration bar.

Bon Appetit, indeed.