| Dear Readers, The House of Representatives voted last Thursday by a margin of 261-161 to approve a measure designed to restrict illegal immigrants from obtaining driver’s licenses. The bill would require that only U.S. citizens or legal immigrants would be eligible for driver’s licenses and would set up standards of verification to which states would be required to adhere. This bill would particularly affect those states that do not currently require applicants to present proof of legal status in order to get their driver’s licenses: Hawaii, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin. The White House has endorsed this measure, but the bill still faces an uncertain fate in the Senate.
This is the first immigration issue to be put before the 109th Congress, and it will be followed by months of deliberation on other related issues, particularly President Bush’s guest worker proposal. We will continue to keep you posted about any changes to immigration law as soon as they occur.
It is my pleasure to serve you and keep you informed. If you have any questions or concerns about immigration, please feel free to e-mail me at sardar@durrani.com. Sincerely, 
Sardar Durrani |
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» House Approves Tough Immigration Measures
» USCIS Releases Mailing Addresses for Non-Electronic PERM Applications
» Senator Proposes Farm Worker Immigration Reform
» CRS Report for Congress Recommends Fences Along California Border
» DHS Releases 2006 Budget Fact Sheet Reflecting Seven Percent Funding Increase
» AILA Issues Press Release Introducing AgJobs Act
» Panel Rejects Immigration Law Training Bill
» AILA Releases New "Restrictionist Watch"
» Dead Soldiers Recieve Posthumous Citizenship
» PELOSI: Sensenbrenner Bill Fails to Advance Real Immigration Reform
House Approves Tough Immigration Measures The House of Representatives voted 261-161 Thursday to toughen border security and keep driver's licenses out of the hands of illegal immigrants, in the opening round of a tough and contentious battle to overhaul the nation's immigration system.
The bill by Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., requires that only U.S. citizens or legal immigrants be eligible for driver's licenses and sets up national verification standards which would cost states millions of dollars to enforce, they say.
It also toughens requirements for obtaining U.S. political asylum and requires the federal government to complete a fence along a portion of the U.S.-Mexico border in California known as "Smugglers Gulch." Completion of the fence has been stalled by an environmental dispute.You can read this article here. USCIS Releases Mailing Addresses for Non-Electronic PERM Applications As of December 13, 2004, the Department opened two new National Processing Centers in Atlanta and Chicago. The National Processing Centers will handle permanent labor certification cases filed under the PERM system. In addition, these centers will process all applications that are withdrawn from the current permanent labor certification program and re-filed under the new PERM program. You can read the rest of this story here. Senator Proposes Farm Worker Immigration Reform Senator Larry Craig wants to reform farm worker immigration. He, along with a bi-partisan group of lawmakers announced the introduction of the Agricultural Job Opportunity, Benefits and Security Act (AgJOBS) on Thursday.
Craig says the bill would provide workforce stability in the short term by offering, on a one time only basis, experienced, trusted workers with a history in American agriculture to stay legally. It would also overhaul the current legal guest worker program. "Do the kind of checks that are responsible and necessary to secure our homeland all has to be done in balance. If we do one item and don't do it all, we could create truly a crisis in American agriculture," said Craig. You can view the rest of this story here. CRS Report for Congress Recommends Fences Along California Border This report outlines the issues involved with the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS’s) completion of a three-tiered, 14-mile fence, along the border near San Diego, California. The state of California has delayed completion of the fence due primarily to legal and policy conflicts with its federally-approved, state-run Coastal Management Program. Current authorization for the fence only allows the waiver of the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act.
During the 108th Congress, a variety of proposals were introduced that would have allowed the department to waive a number of other environmental, conservation, and cultural laws and requirements to varying degrees. Similar proposals are likely to surface again during the 109th Congress. This report will be updated as warranted. You can read the rest of this story here. DHS Releases 2006 Budget Fact Sheet Reflecting Seven Percent Funding Increase President George W. Bush’s FY 2006 budget request includes a total of $41.1 billion for the Department of Homeland Security. This is an increase of seven percent over the enacted FY 2005 funding, excluding Project BioShield. This year’s request demonstrates the Administration’s continued commitment to making further improvements to the nation’s homeland security.
DHS has made great strides since it was established in March 2003 in integrating the 22 distinct agencies and bureaus, each with its own employees, mission and culture into a single, unified Department whose mission is to secure the homeland. This year’s budget request includes several key initiatives that will allow the Department to integrate and consolidate existing security functions to more effectively serve our overall mission and make America safer. You can read the rest of the memo here.
» AILA Issues Press Release Introducing AgJobs Act
» Panel Rejects Immigration Law Training Bill
» AILA Releases New "Restrictionist Watch"
» Dead Soldiers Recieve Posthumous Citizenship
» PELOSI: Sensenbrenner Bill Fails to Advance Real Immigration Reform
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