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Skriven 2007-05-17 23:31:02 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0705177) for Thu, 2007 May 17
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Fact Sheet: Border Security and Immigration Reform
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For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary May 17, 2007

Fact Sheet: Border Security and Immigration Reform Administration And
Bipartisan Group Of Senators Reach Bipartisan Agreement On Comprehensive
Immigration Reform

ÿÿWhite House News

ÿÿÿÿÿ President Bush Discusses Comprehensive Immigration Bill ÿÿÿÿÿ In
Focus: Immigration

Today, Administration Officials And A Bipartisan Group Of Senators Reached
Agreement On Comprehensive Immigration Reform Legislation.ÿThe proposal
includes:
  þ Putting Border Security And Enforcement First: Border security and
    worksite-enforcement benchmarks must be met before other elements of
    the proposal are implemented.
  þ Providing Tools For Employers To Verify The Eligibility Of The Workers
    They Hire: Employers will be required to verify the work eligibility of
    all employees using an employment eligibility verification system,
    while all workers will be required to present stronger and more
    verifiable identification documents.ÿ Tough new anti-fraud measures
    will be implemented and stiff penalties imposed on employers who break
    the law.
  þ Creating A Temporary Worker Program: To relieve pressure on the border
    and provide a lawful way to meet the needs of our economy, the proposal
    creates a temporary worker program to fill jobs Americans are not
    doing. To ensure this program is truly "temporary," workers will be
    limited to three two-year terms, with at least a year spent outside the
    United States between each term.ÿ Temporary workers will be allowed to
    bring immediate family members only if they have the financial ability
    to support them and they are covered by health insurance.
  þ No Amnesty For Illegal Immigrants: Illegal immigrants who come out of
    the shadows will be given probationary status.ÿ Once the border
    security and enforcement benchmarks are met, they must pass a
    background check, remain employed, maintain a clean criminal record,
    pay a $1,000 fine, and receive a counterfeit-proof biometric card to
    apply for a work visa or "Z visa."ÿ Some years later, these Z visa
    holders will be eligible to apply for a green card, but only after
    paying an additional $4,000 fine; completing accelerated English
    requirements; getting in line while the current backlog clears;
    returning to their home country to file their green card application;
    and demonstrating merit under the merit-based system.ÿ
  þ Strengthening The Assimilation Of New Immigrants: The proposal declares
    that English is the language of the United States and calls on the
    United States Government to preserve and enhance it, as well as
    enacting accelerated English requirements for many immigrants.ÿ In
    addition, the DHS Office of Citizenship will be expanded to include
    coordinating assimilation efforts in its mission, and the Education
    Secretary will make an English instruction program freely available
    over the Internet.
  þ Establishing A Merit System For Future Immigration: The proposal
    establishes a new merit-based system to select future immigrants based
    on the skills and attributes they will bring to the United States.ÿ
    Under the merit-based system, future immigrants applying for permanent
    residency in the U.S. will be assigned points for skills, education,
    and other attributes that further our national interest including:
    ability to speak English; level of schooling, including added points
    for training in science, math, and technology; job offer in a specialty
    or high-demand field; employer endorsement; and family ties to the U.S.
  þ Ending Chain Migration: The immigration system would be reformed to
    better balance the importance of family connections with the economic
    needs of our country by replacing the current system, where nearly
    two-thirds of green cards are awarded to relatives of U.S. citizens,
    with a system in which future family immigration will focus on the
    nuclear family and parents.
  þ Clearing The Family Backlog In Eight Years: Millions of family members
    of U.S. citizens now wait years in line for a green card, with some
    waits estimated at as long as 30 years.ÿ Family members who have
    applied legally and have lawfully waited their turn in line will
    receive their green card within eight years.

Putting Border Security And Enforcement First

Border Security And Worksite Enforcement Benchmarks Must Be Met Before A
Temporary Worker Program Is Implemented.ÿ These benchmarks include:
  þ Miles of fence constructed.
  þ Number of Border Patrol Agents hired.
  þ "Catch and Return" continues at the border.
  þ Employment Eligibility Verification System ready to process all new
    hires.

The Proposal Establishes New Penalties For Border Crimes And Gives The
Border Patrol Additional Tools To Stop Illegal Border Crossings.ÿ Through
the deployment of additional Border Patrol agents with supporting
equipment, the construction of additional fencing and vehicle barriers in
targeted areas, and the development of a proper mix of sensors, radar, and
cameras, the proposal establishes a true commitment to securing our
borders.ÿ

Providing Tools For Employers To Verify The Eligibility Of The Workers They
Hire

Employers Will Be Required To Verify The Work Eligibility Of All Employees,
While All Workers Will Be Required To Present Stronger And More Verifiable
Identification Documents.ÿ Tough new anti-fraud measures will be
implemented and stiff penalties imposed on employers who break the law.
  þ The Employment Eligibility Verification System will allow for real-time
    verification of employee photos and documents.
  þ The Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security
    Administration will be able to share "no-match" information to ensure
    that illegal immigrants cannot use the Social Security information of
    Americans to pose as legal workers.
  þ Employer audits will serve as an additional check on employer
    compliance with the system.

Creating A Temporary Worker Program

To Relieve Pressure On The Border And Provide A Lawful Channel To Meet The
Needs Of Our Economy, The Proposal Creates A Temporary Worker Program.ÿ The
program allows workers to enter the country to fill jobs that Americans are
not doing.ÿ The temporary worker program:
  þ Protects American workers by requiring U.S. employers to advertise the
    job in the United States at a competitive wage before hiring a
    temporary worker.
  þ Provides additional labor protections for temporary worker program
    participants.
  þ Allows temporary workers to enter the United States to work for three
    two-year terms, with at least a year spent outside the United States
    between each term.
  þ Sets a cap of 400,000 on the temporary worker program, which can be
    adjusted up or down in the future depending on demand.
  þ Requires temporary workers who want to bring their immediate family to
    show that they have the financial means to support them and that they
    are covered by health insurance.
  þ Recognizes the unique needs of agriculture by establishing a separate
    seasonal agriculture component under the temporary worker program.

No Amnesty For Illegal Immigrants

Illegal Immigrants Who Come Out Of The Shadows Will Be Given Probationary
Status.ÿ To maintain their probationary status, they must pass a background
check, remain employed, and maintain a clean criminal record.ÿ

Illegal Immigrants Who Fulfill Their Probationary Requirements Can Apply
For A Z Card, Which Will Enable Them To Live, Work, And Travel Freely.ÿ Z
card holders will be required to pay a $1,000 fine, meet accelerated
English and civics requirements, remain employed, and renew their visa
every four years.

Z Card Holders Will Have An Opportunity To Apply For A Green Card, But Only
After:
  þ Paying an additional $4,000 fine,
  þ Applying at the back of the line and waiting until the current backlog
    is cleared,
  þ Returning to their home country to file their green card application,
    and
  þ Demonstrating merit under the merit-based system.

Strengthening The Assimilation Of New Immigrants

The Proposal Declares That English Is The Language Of The United States And
Calls On The United States Government To Preserve And Enhance It, As Well
As Enacting Accelerated English Requirements For Some Immigrants.ÿ The
success of our country depends upon helping newcomers assimilate into our
society and embrace our common identity as Americans  our shared ideals,
an appreciation of our history, and an ability to speak and write the
English language.ÿ Therefore, the Secretary of Education is directed to
make an English instruction program freely available over the Internet.ÿ
The DHS Office of Citizenship is expanded to include coordinating
assimilation efforts in its mission, and additional funding is authorized
for the Office.

Establishing A Merit System For Future Immigration

The Proposal Establishes A New Merit-Based System To Select Future
Immigrants Based On The Skills And Attributes They Will Bring To The United
States.ÿ A merit system is used by many other countries.
  þ Under The Merit System, Future Immigrants Applying For Permanent
    Residency In The United States Will Be Assigned Points For Skills,
    Education, Employment Background And Other Attributes That Further Our
    National Interest.ÿ These skills include:
      þ Ability to speak English.
      þ Level of schooling, including added points for training in science,
        math, and technology.
      þ Job offer in a high-demand field.
      þ Work experience in the United States.
      þ Employer endorsement.
      þ Family ties to the United States.

Ending Chain Migration

In Place Of The Current System Where Nearly Two-Thirds Of Green Cards Are
Awarded To Relatives Of U.S. Citizens, Our Immigration System Will Be
Reformed To Better Balance The Importance Of Family Connections With The
Economic Needs Of Our Country.ÿ
  þ Visas for parents of U.S. citizens are capped, while green cards for
    the siblings and adult children of U.S. citizens and green card holders
    are eliminated.
  þ A new Parents Visitor visa is created to ensure that parents are
    allowed to visit their children in the United States regularly and for
    extended periods of time.
  þ The Diversity Lottery Program, which grants 50,000 green cards per year
    through random chance, is ended.ÿ
  þ These rebalanced green cards are used to clear the Family Backlog in
    eight years and then applied to the new Merit System for future
    immigration once the backlog is cleared.

Clearing The Family Backlog Within Eight Years

Family Members Who Have Applied Legally, And Lawfully Waited Their Turn In
Line, Will Receive Their Green Card Within The Next Eight Years. ÿToday,
millions of family members of U.S. citizens wait years in line for a green
card, with some waits estimated at as long as 30 years. ÿ

ÿ

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