Immigration Bills

H.R. 1358 would create a new nonimmigrant visa category (i.e., the W visa) for aliens coming to the United States to work as professional nurses; would initially cap annual issuance of W visas to 50,000, but would provide that if that cap is reached in any year, the next year’s cap would be increased by 20 percent (no reduction if the cap is not reached – just a maintenance of the current cap); would exempt from the annual cap: (1) nonimmigrants working in geographic areas designated as “health professional shortage areas”; and (2) spouses and children of W nonimmigrants.

H.R. 1314, Photo Identification Security Act, would prohibit Federal agencies (for any official purpose) and financial institutions (for purposes of verifying the identity of an individual seeking to open an account) from accepting any form of identification of an individual other than: (1) either: (a) a social security card accompanied by a photo identification card issued by the Federal or a state government; or (b) a state driver's license or identification card, provided that the state is in compliance with the REAL ID Act; (2) a U.S.

H.R. 1275, American Dream Act, would make illegal aliens eligible for in-state tuition and would allow DHS to grant illegal college students legal status. This bill would encourage illegal immigration and reward illegal immigrants, as well as harming legal students.

S. 703 would expand chain migration by expanding the definition of "immediate relative" for purposes of exemptions from the numerical cap. It would include children of U.S. citizens' parents accompanying or following them to join the parent.

H.R. 1221, EARN Act, would allow DHS to give lawful resident status to an illegal alien who entered the U.S before age sixteen, has been in the U.S. for five years, is of "good moral character"" (lacking a serious criminal record)."