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Trump's new immigration proposal faces stiff opposition in Congress

Stevicus

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
Trump will pitch immigration plan already facing stiff opposition in Congress

The White House framed the Kushner plan as an overdue effort to modernize the sprawling U.S. immigration system, which has defied attempts at reform for decades. Officials said more details, and a formal legislative proposal, would follow in several weeks.

It faces resistance from immigration advocates and other opponents, in part because it does not address the estimated 10.7 million people illegally in the United States, or the so-called Dreamers, the estimated 800,000 migrants who were brought to the country illegally as children.

It is also competing with half a dozen bills already introduced in Congress that seek to address the recent surge of Central American families and children arriving at the southern border.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), one of Trump’s closest allies in Congress, poured cold water on the White House plan even before it was announced.

“It’s not meant to be a bipartisan solution,” he said. “It’s meant to be a marker for what we want.”

The proposal would increase merit-based immigration while reducing immigration by family ties and eliminate the diversity visa:

The proposal would shift priorities in the U.S. immigration system. It would increase the percentage of immigrants admitted on “merit” from 12% of the those receiving green cards to 57%, while making changes to the asylum process and reducing the number of people admitted based on extended family connections, according to senior administration officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Kushner’s plan gives priority to children and spouses, but not extended family members, and eliminates the diversity visa, in order to focus more on employment and skills-based immigration, another senior administration official said.

High-skilled professionals such as doctors or welders, as well as exceptional students, would receive preferential treatment.

“We’d like to keep the best and brightest,” the official said, describing the merit-based aspect of the proposal as a “color-blind” way to ensure people from poor and underrepresented countries can immigrate to the United States.

The proposal also includes increased resources at ports of entry to allow for 100% screening of all goods and people as a way of reducing smuggling.
 

Salvador

RF's Swedenborgian
Define "merit"? Would Trump's wife(ves) and/or mother qualify?

Merit means you are proficient in the English language, you are highly educated, and you have job skills well in demand by the job market.

It'd be about time Mexico sends us her finest, rather than sending us her undesirables.
 

Audie

Veteran Member

metis

aged ecumenical anthropologist

dianaiad

Well-Known Member
Sounds too sensible to pass. Too bad it is a trump
iniaitive.

It will not get anywhere.

Democrats aren't going to allow Trump to get a 'win,' no matter what. They WILL obstruct anything Trump supports, not because it's bad, but because Trump supports it.

And that would be very shortsighted, in terms of election politics. Trump will be able, come 2020, to point to the obstructionism and say just this; that the Democrats don't have the welfare of the nation at heart; they just want to get elected.

Suppose their tactics work and they win? The ideas being proposed right now are good ones; fair and workable. Suppose the Dems succeed in squashing them, AND taking the White House, Senate and House....how will they then solve the immigration problem?

Using the ideas that they kiboshed when the Republicans proposed them?

That would pretty much guarantee a one term run.

Mostly, what their current opposition will do is guarantee a wholesale loss in 2020.

I wish the politicians would wake up
 

Enoch07

It's all a sick freaking joke.
Premium Member
Merit means you are proficient in the English language, you are highly educated, and you have job skills well in demand by the job market.

This is reasonable. In order to become a citizen of most E.U countries. You are required to learn that countries native language with a certificate to prove it, and be gainfully employed. Considering how much some people want us to become like Europe it's funny how they think this merit based system is unfair.
 
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metis

aged ecumenical anthropologist
I'd be in favor of a merit-based immigration system.
Here in the States it is partially based on that but that isn't the only criterion used. My guess is that if all previous immigration was based exclusively on merit most of us probably wouldn't be here now.
 

Shad

Veteran Member
The family reduction should be replaced with a sponsorship programs which place the costs on the family. If the family is on government support programs they are declined. If they can prove they have the finances to support family let them do so. This will reduce the numbers while also reducing the burden on the state. The limit should be immediate family. Children, parents and grandparents.
 

Stanyon

WWMRD?
Here in the States it is partially based on that but that isn't the only criterion used. My guess is that if all previous immigration was based exclusively on merit most of us probably wouldn't be here now.

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