Healthcare Blog

CRS COMPARISON OF IMMIGRATION PROPOSALS

Congressional Research Service has published a Comparison of Selected Provisions on Permanent and Temporary Admissions of Senate-passed S. 2611, House-passed H.R. 4437, and the current law.

LEADERS URGE BROADER FOCUS ON IMMIGRATION REFORM

Texas lawmakers and members of the public said that it is important that the focus of immigration laws not be limited to border security.

BUSH MAY ENDORSE PENCE-HUTCHISON

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff will appear with Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Tex.) and Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.). The White House says that the appearance is “in no way meant to signal an endorsement” of their compromise, Department of Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke said. But it was seen by supporters and opponents yesterday as a boost for the plan and a significant White House concession to conservatives.

PREMIUM PROCESSING FOR SOME EB3 – I-140s
STARTING AUGUST 28

The USCIS announced today that starting August 28th it will be accepting Premium Processing requests for I-140 Immigrant Petitions filed within the following categories: EB-3 Professionals (i.e. immigrant workers with bachelor degrees who are members of the professions, such as most Computer Professional occupations, Engineers, and Physical Therapists), and EB-3 Skilled Workers (i.e. immigrant workers capable of performing skilled labor requiring at least two years of education, training or experience, such as Registered Nurses).

Premium Processing remains unavailable for the remaining employment-based preference categories, including the EB-3 “other workers,” EB-1 Manager/Executives, and EB-2 Advanced Degree Professionals categories.Premium processing allows Petitioners to pay a $1000 fee to have their case processed within 15-calendar days from receipt of the petition.

The press release is here.

RETROGRESSION MAY BE PUSHED BACK UNTIL NOVEMBER

HLG has learned that fewer EX visas were used in July than expected. Accordingly, the Department of State may be able to push off retrogression for one additional month. There are approximately 6,500 EX visas left in the queue.

Once the EX visa allotment is exhausted, Schedule A occupations — Registered Nurses and Physical Therapists — will by counted against the retrogressed EB3 visa quota. Currently EB3 visas are retrogressed for five years, which means that an fully-qualified EB3 case filed today will not be allowed to become approved until 2011.

HLG is leading a team of immigration attorneys in order to lobby Congress to extend the EX visa allotment. If successful we will stave off retrogression. To contribute to the cause, please contact Chris Musillo (cmusillo@hammondlawfirm.com). To learn about the EX visa and lobbying effort, please visit: http://www.hammondlawgroup.blogspot.com/

IMMIGRATION = MORE JOBS FOR US WORKERS, NOT LESS

Rapid increases in the foreign-born population at the state level are not associated with negative effects on the employment of native-born workers, according to a study by the Pew Hispanic Center.

HLG’s Chris Musillo had a similar finding in an article, The National Pastime: Immigration?, which was published in last month’s Cincinnati Bar Association CBA Report. HLG’s Sherry Neal also had an article published in the same publication’s special immigration issue. Sherry’s article touched on the nuances of enforcing immigration law and creating new law.

SENSENBRENNER’S IMMIGRATION PLAN — START OVER

Rep. Sensenbrenner (R-WI) told the San Francisco Chronicle that the best way out of the immigration impasse between the House and Senate is “to start with a clean piece of paper and put together a clean bill that is neither the House bill nor the Senate bill … and then make sure it passes.”