Politics & Government

Engel Pleased with Senate Passage of Immigration Reform

Urges House leadership to follow suit. Describes immigration reform as long overdue.

Congressman Eliot Engel (D-NY-16) applauded the US Senate for passing a bipartisan immigration reform plan on Thursday, and, in a statement, urged House leadership to do the same.  Rep. Engel has supported comprehensive reform, with a path to citizenship, for many years.

Engel described immigration reform as long overdue and emphasized in the statement that it should include a path to citizenship as well as border enforcement. 

Specifically, Engel described the path to citizenship as, "one that involves fines, back taxes and a process where those who are pursuing immigration legally are given priority." In the statement, Engel added, "Fixing this situation will strengthen our national security, aid our economy, and end the exploitation of millions of people."

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Features of the Senate bill listed in Engel's statement:

  • Offering the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. a path to citizenship after improved border security measures are put in place
  • Including the DREAM Act - provisions for individuals who entered the country illegally as children, provided they seek a college education or serve in the military
  • Revamping the UUS visa system, providing more employment-based and family visas and increasing the supply of highly-skilled foreign workers; and
  • Requiring all employers to use the E-Verify within five years.

US companies that rely on immigrants and temporary foreign workers to fill open positions would, according to Engel's statement, face additional costs and compliance requirements.  The bill would authorize additional temporary worker visas for longer-term jobs and for seasonal work, including agriculture. It also contains a bipartisan compromise on border security and E-verify.  Rep. Engel would like House leadership to employ a policy of bipartisan compromise in the efforts to craft a House bill.

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“In 2005, I was supportive of the McCain/Kennedy reform bill, which passed the full Senate during the Bush Administration, but was effectively killed by the Republican-controlled House," said Engel in the release. "I also supported the DREAM Act, which the Democratic-controlled House passed in 2010, and received a majority vote in the Senate, but was blocked by a Republican filibuster,” added Engel who is a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.


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