Immigration Reform Moves to Senate Committee

Beginning next Thursday, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee will be considering the much discussed Senate “Gang of 8” immigration bill – The Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act. The current bill is the work of a small, bipartisan group of senators - Schumer (D-N.Y.), McCain (R-Ariz.), Durbin (D-Ill.), Graham (R-S.C.), Menendez (D-N.J.), Rubio (R-Fla.), Bennet (D-Colo.), and Flake (R-Ariz.) – and the committee process will allow for the opportunity for greater input and modifications. The current bill addresses many AGC priorities by giving employers certainty that they have complied with the law and certainty that they have received authentic documentation from newly hired employees. The bill also eliminates the patchwork of local immigration laws and provides new avenues for legal immigration by creating a legal status for undocumented workers currently in the United States. The bill would require employers use E-Verify, comply with and retain records of the verification process, and prohibit employers from “knowingly” hiring an undocumented worker.  The bill also includes a temporary worker program; unfortunately, the program places unique restrictions on the construction industry that prevent construction from fully utilizing the future temporary worker visa program. The future temporary worker visa program remains one of the most controversial issues and would be of limited use for the construction industry. While the proposed program allows for multiyear visas, it contains a cap of the number of visas eligible for use in the construction, and only after they prove no U.S. workers are willing to work for the same wages. The program would limit the number of visas to 15,000 for construction industry workers and would be prohibited if the unemployment rate for a specific job occupation in a local metropolitan area exceeds 8.5 percent. AGC will continue to work with the Senate to improve the immigration bill and AGC continues to work with the House on its ideas for immigration reform. The process in the House may follow a more traditional committee process followed by smaller components of immigration reform, rather than one comprehensive immigration reform bill. For more information or to send letters urging comprehensive immigration reform with a workable guest worker program for the construction industry visit the AGC website. For more information, please contact Jim Young at (202) 547-0133 or youngj@agc.org.