Tag Archives: immigration reform

The Proposed Pathway to Immigration

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Some members of Congress caused a stir recently when they suggested the deadly bombings at the Boston Marathon – allegedly orchestrated by two immigrants from Russia – should cause lawmakers to slow down their approach to reform U.S. immigration laws. But lawmakers are still moving forward with debate on the proposed changes, and some claim the reforms would make it easier to prevent future terrorist attacks.

Here’s a summary of the current proposal, which may change as the legislative process continues, for immigration reform:

  • Congress would spend $3 billion to hire of more border patrol officers, improve border fencing, and increase drone surveillance;
  • Grant temporary legal status to undocumented immigrants if they pay a $500 fee, pay back taxes, pass a background check and get a job; and
  • Require undocumented immigrants to wait 10 years to be eligible for a green card and wait an additional 3 years to apply for citizenship.

Political controversy can make it more difficult to understand how laws or proposed laws may impact you or your family’s immigration process. So please feel free to contact us at The Law Offices of Azita M. Mojarad & Associates whenever questions or concerns arise.

More Than Just Immigrants Are Impacted by Immigration Law

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If you think new immigration laws and talk of immigration reform will not impact you, you may want to reconsider. South Carolina’s now-stricter laws on employers hiring undocumented workers have led to citations on 323 of the state’s businesses for noncompliance.

In 2011, lawmakers required all South Carolina businesses to use eVerify (a federal program used to verify whether an employee can legally work in the United States) to check the names and Social Security numbers of new hires. In 2012, the law took effect and the state began enforcement several months ago. Of the 4,000 or so businesses the state audited, 323 did not pass. None of those businesses will lose their license, but if they are found to be repeat offenders, the state in fact can suspend those licenses.

It is unknown how many of these businesses hired undocumented workers and how many simply failed to provide the correct paperwork to prove documentation. Nonetheless, it shows how very serious immigration law is and how much of an impact it can have on immigrants and businesses.

Whether you are a business or an individual, please contact The Law Offices of Azita M. Mojarad, P.C. whenever you have questions or concerns about new or existing immigration laws and how they may affect you.

The Changing Face of Immigrants

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According to a 2011 U.S. Department of Homeland Security estimate, 6.8 million of the 11.5 million undocumented immigrants were from Mexico. In addition, the Pew Hispanic Center has reported the number has dropped by near 1 million from five years before. Researchers believe the slow economic growth of the United States and the increased border-control efforts are major factors triggering the decline.

Undocumented immigrants from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras total more than 1.5 million. Four Asian countries—China, the Philippines, India and South Korea—accounted for a more than 1 million undocumented immigrants.

Government estimates indicate the vast majority of these immigrants live in California, Texas and Florida. New York and Illinois, however, have more than 500,000 of these immigrants each.

It’s easy to forget that America’s immigrant population is diverse when border states like Arizona and California battle over proposed laws. Similarly, the legal status of these immigrants may also be diverse. Some have overstayed visas, some are working on naturalization, some may have crossed a border illegally. Whatever your situation may be, always know the Law Offices of Azita M. Mojarad are available to assist you with your legal needs.

Law Making Is Not a Priority List

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After the school-shooting tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, the media and the political pundits speculated that new gun control legislation would surpass immigration reform on the U.S. Congress priority list.

In reality, Congress handles multiple topics at a time all the time. Congressional committees run hearings and propose new laws on a wide range of topics, from military to education to guns to immigration. It is important to realize, as we are seeing recently from President Obama’s speeches, that many changes to immigration and naturalization law are still being proposed. In addition to the President, a working group of eight Senators proposed ideas for reforming immigration that focus on issues like:

  • Border enforcement
  • Employee verification systems
  • Green cards for agricultural workers
  • Green cards for highly skilled workers

The legislative process remains ongoing, this group of four Democrats and four Republicans said.

If you, or someone you know, needs help understanding what these changes mean, please contact the Law Offices of Azita M. Mojarad & Associates today.

The Debate on U.S. Immigration Reform Resumes

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Now that the Presidential elections have passed, members of both the Democratic and Republican parties have been calling for revisions of current immigration policies.

The Associated Press reports that Senators Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) an Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.) have again been working together to create a “comprehensive detailed blueprint on immigration reform.”

Both senators said the overhaul would include developing a secure document to assure employers they’re hiring people authorized to work in the country, and allowing legal immigration for needed workers at all skill levels. The path to citizenship would require immigrants to learn English, go to the back of the citizenship line, have a job and not commit crimes.

The discussions Congress is having now will take months, if not years, to become law. And both Senators acknowledge that any plan will require bi-partisan support in Congress.

If you or a loved one needs expertise on these matters, please visit our Immigration lawyers located in Chicago today.