ACTIVISTS SLAM IMMIGRATION PLANS PROPOSALS INCLUDE MERIT-BASED SYSTEM, GUEST-ONLY PROGRAMS.Byline: LISA The first personal computer to include integrated software and use a graphical interface. Modeled after the Xerox Star and introduced in 1983 by Apple, it was ahead of its time, but never caught on due to its $10,000 price and slow speed. FRIEDMAN Washington Bureau WASHINGTON -- With a major vote on immigration immigration, entrance of a person (an alien) into a new country for the purpose of establishing permanent residence. Motives for immigration, like those for migration generally, are often economic, although religious or political factors may be very important. again looming in the Senate, advocates lashed out Friday at an emerging plan that includes issuing visas to foreigners based on employment skills and education levels instead of on family ties. Activists fighting for lenient treatment of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the U.S. said they remain optimistic about the newest incarnation of immigration reform Immigration reform is the common term used in political discussions regarding changes to immigration policy. In a certain sense, reform can be general enough to include promoted, expanded, or open immigration, but in reality discussions of reform often deal with the aspect of . But now, they said, their biggest worries involve the future of legal immigration. "Some of the proposals on the table are deeply troubling," said Frank Sharry, executive director of the National Immigration Forum The National Immigration Forum (also called "The Forum") is an immigrant rights organization based in Washington, DC that publishes studies, lobbies congress members, and networks local organizations with the goal of increasing public support for immigration to the United . In particular, he and others pointed to discussions about a guest-worker program that does not give temporary workers a shot at citizenship, and a "merit-based" visa system that assigns would-be immigrants points based on job skills and education levels. "When we hear slogans like 'temporary means temporary' or that the number of green cards isn't likely to be adjusted, when many of us believe the problems we now have are because we don't have enough immigration slots, or when we hear about a point system that is a radically new concept ... we're concerned that we may end up reproducing the problems that we have now," Sharry said. Other elements of the plan being devised by the White House and a handful of senators include a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, but only on the condition that they first return to their native countries and wait up to 13 years. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Friday said he wants to give those negotiations a chance to yield a deal. "Some senators feel a breakthrough could take place, but they will need all day Tuesday to do that," Reid said on the Senate floor Friday. He also, however, is threatening to open debate next week on an immigration bill backed mostly by Democrats that passed the Senate last year. Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the move would "give us the maximum opportunity to piece back together the bipartisan agreement that we thought we almost had a week or so ago." Sen. Dianne Feinstein Dianne Goldman Berman Feinstein (born June 22, 1933) is the senior U.S. Senator from California, having held office as a senator since 1992. She is a member of the Democratic Party. on Friday said she believes there is a chance for immigration reform, but said the Senate needs more time. "Democrats and Republicans have been working together with two Cabinet secretaries for over a month on this issue but there is hard work left to do," she said. Feinstein didn't take a position on the specific guest worker or visa proposals. But, she said, the final product should be a "practical, workable program that stabilizes our borders." Cecilia Munoz, vice president of the National Council of La Raza The National Council of La Raza (NCLR) is the largest Hispanic advocacy organization in the United States. The NCLR was founded in 1968 as a nonpartisan nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing discrimination and poverty and to improving the lives and economic opportunities of , blasted the merit system System used by federal and state governments for hiring and promoting governmental employees to civil service positions on the basis of competence. The merit system uses educational and occupational qualifications, testing, and job performance as criteria for selecting, , saying it would undermine employers' ability to petition for workers as well as citizens and legal residents' abilities to petition for their closest family members. She also called a temporary guest-worker program that curtailed or eliminated the ability of foreigners to become citizens a profound mistake. "It says, 'We don't want you to become Americans. We don't really want you to stay here,'" she said. "It's the French model. The American model, which has been 'Come and participate and be one of us,' has been successful, and it's a mistake to change that." Meanwhile, House members including Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, Republicans like Rep. Elton Gallegly Elton W. Gallegly (born March 7 1944), an American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1987, currently representing the 24th District of California (map). , R-Thousand Oaks, and Gary Miller
Gary Gene Miller (born October 16 1948), American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1999, representing , R-Brea, are expected to strongly oppose any measure that grants any legal status to illegal immigrants. lisa.friedman(at)langnews.com (202) 662-8731 |
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