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END VISA LOTTERY

Monday, February 14, 2011, 9:00 AM EDT - posted on NumbersUSA

Rep. Goodlatte & Sen. Hatch

Rep. Goodlatte & Sen. Hatch

The Visa Lottery Program is managed by the Department of State and awards up to 55,000 permanent resident visas a year to applicants from countries with relatively low rates of immigration to the United States compared to other countries, based on data from the previous five years.

The Visa Lottery grants visas based on pure luck to people regardless of family ties, skills, or education, exposing the country to national security threats such as espionage, terrorism, and criminal refuge.

The bipartisan Barbara Jordan Commission in 1995 recommended the elimination of the lottery, since it serves no national interest.

There are bills offered in both the House and the Senate that would eliminate the Visa Lottery.

Rep. Bob Goodlatte(R-Va.) has introduced the SAFE for America Act (H.R.704) that would:

  • Eliminate the Diversity Visa Class, a.k.a. Visa Lottery;
  • Reduce overall legal immigration numbers by approximately 50,000 per year.

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) has introduced the Strengthening Our Commitment to Legal Immigration and America's Security Act (S.332) that would:

  • Require the Department of State to submit recommendations to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees detailing changes to the Visa Lottery program that would reduce fraud and abuse;
  • Eliminate the Visa Lottery unless the changes are made to the program per the recommendations of the State Department's report.
  • Potentially reduce overall legal immigration levels by up to 50,000.

Full text on Thomas of H.R.704 and S.332

NumbersUSA analysis

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The Outsider

Quoted - Sunday, February 22, 2009

"Any time you give an amnesty for people who have broken the law, that gives an incentive for more people to break the law," says Roy Beck, executive director of NumbersUSA, an Arlington group that lobbies to reduce immigration. Yet Beck acknowledges that he feels torn about Juan, who arrived at such a young age, saying that "on an individual basis, this sounds like the kind of person who you want to have some sort of leeway for." Where, then, does Juan belong?

By Phuong Ly -- Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/16/AR2009021600937.html

165,000 Russians Sought U.S. Green Card

In the News - Thursday, September 29, 2011

More than 165,000 Russians participated in the United States' 2013 green-card lottery and 2,353 won, RIA-Novosti reported, citing U.S. State Department official David Donahue.

The Moscow Times

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/165000-russians-sought-us-green-card/444575.html#ixzz1ZMv8qbUo

Immigration Lotto Lunacy

In the News - Thursday, March 3, 2011

If you did just one thing to start fixing our visa system, a good choice would be getting rid of the visa lottery. Now, both the Senate and the House have bills to do just that.

Since 1990, when liberals created the lottery, the United States has given away 55,000 permanent residency visas each year. Sen. Orrin Hatch (R.-Utah) and Rep. Robert Goodlatte (R.-Va.) have each proposed legislation that would do away with this needless visa program.

By James R. Edwards, Jr. -- Human Events

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=42094

Thousands From Terror-Sponsoring Nations Entering U.S. on 'Diversity Visas'

In the News - Friday, January 8, 2010

In the wake of the botched Christmas Day terror attack, members of Congress are worried that extremists could use the State Department's diversity visa lottery as a means of getting to the U.S.

The State Department is planning to welcome thousands of immigrants from terror-watch list countries into the United States this year through a "diversity visa" lottery -- a giant legal loophole some lawmakers say is a "serious national security threat" that has gone unchecked for years.

By Joseph Abrams -- Fox News Channel

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/01/07/thousands-terror-sponsoring-nations-entering-diversity-visas/

Naturalized citizens are poised to reshape California's political landscape

In the News - Monday, May 11, 2009

More than 1 million immigrants became U.S. citizens last year, the largest surge in history, hastening the ethnic transformation of California's political landscape with more Latinos and Asians now eligible to vote.

Leading the wave, California's 300,000 new citizens accounted for nearly one-third of the nation's total and represented a near-doubling over 2006, according to a recent report by the U.S. Office of Immigration Statistics. Florida recorded the second-largest group of new citizens, and Texas claimed the fastest growth.

By Teresa Watanabe -- Los Angeles Times

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-newcitizens11-2009may11,0,5503985.story

DHS Designates Malta as a Visa Waiver Program Country

In the News - Tuesday, December 23, 2008

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will designate Malta as a Visa Waiver Program (VWP) country on Dec. 30, 2009. Maltese nationals will be able to travel visa-free to the United States effective Dec. 30th.

DHS Press Release

http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/releases/pr_1230029562483.shtm