As a Miami immigration lawyer and an Austin immigration lawyer, I read with interest that President Trump will appear with a pair of conservative Republican senators at the White House on Wednesday to unveil legislation aimed at slashing legal immigration levels over a decade, a goal Trump endorsed on the campaign trail. Below are some frequently asked questions.
Which GOP senators are introducing the bill?
Sens. Tom Cotton (Ark.) and David Perdue (Ga.) have been working with the Trump administration to refine a bill they first introduced in February. If you have any questions in regard to this, you may want to speak with a Miami immigration lawyer or an Austin immigration lawyer.
What do the GOP senators hope to achieve from this bill?
This bill aims to cut immigration by half from the current level of more than 1 million green cards per year granting foreigners permanent legal residence in the United States. The revised legislation also is expected to put stricter limits on temporary work visas for lower skilled immigrants. If you have any questions in regard to this, you may want to speak with a Miami immigration lawyer or an Austin immigration lawyer.
Does President Trump support this bill?
Yes. In a speech last week in Youngstown, Ohio, Trump praised the senators’ efforts, calling their legislation a pathway to creating a “merit-based” immigration system. If you have any questions in regard to this, you may want to speak with a Miami immigration lawyer or an Austin immigration lawyer.
If passed, how will the landscape of immigration change?
In a break with previous immigration policy, the bill will take aim at green cards for extended family members of U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents, including grown children, grandparents and siblings. Minor children and spouses would still be allowed to apply for green cards. The bills also proposes to end visa diversity lottery that has awarded 50,000 green cards a year, mostly to areas in the world that traditionally do not have as many immigrants to the United States, including Africa. The bill also could include provisions to limit low-skilled temporary workers and make changes to programs for highly skilled workers in technology and other fields. And it would cap refugee levels at 50,000 per year. If you have any questions in regard to this, you may want to speak with a Miami immigration attorney or an Austin immigration attorney.
Are there any criticisms of this bill, and from whom?
The bill is expected to face fierce resistance from congressional Democrats and immigrant rights groups, and could face opposition from business leaders and some moderate Republicans in states with large immigrant populations. Opponents of slashing immigration levels said immigrants help boost the economy and that studies have shown they commit crimes at lower levels than do native-born Americans. If you have any questions in regard to this, you may want to speak with a Miami immigration attorney or an Austin immigration attorney.
If you would like more information on naturalization test, obtaining a green card, or obtaining U.S. citizenship, please contact Miami immigration lawyer and Austin immigration lawyer Michael G. Murray, Esq. at (305) 895-2500 or visit our website at www.mmurraylaw.com.