Comprehensive Immigration Reform Now *

April 2010 Newsletter

Are we ready for Comprehensive Immigration Reform?

Topics covered in this issue
– Comprehensive Health Care Reform –
– Comprehensive Immigration Reform –
– Green Card by Marriage –
– Student F1 Visa –
– US Immigration for Top Professionals –
– US Immigration for BA Graduates –

In July 2009 President Obama commissioned a panel of immigration leaders to start working up immigration bills to be launched once the healthcare issue was concluded. On December 15, 2009 the first of those bills was published Luis V. Gutierrez (D-IL) . On March 18, 2010 Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Charles Schumer (D-NY) drafted their bi-partisan outline for Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR). If momentum gathers for CIR more drafts and bills will come out and get some publicity. The stand out bills will start to attract signatories as House and Senate leaders add their name to the proposed bill. If enough names are added then that particular bill will get more publicity and will be debated in the media. House and Senate leaders will only add their name if they think it will be to their political advantage. In some cases I’ve seen leaders remove their name from a bill if they felt the tide was against them. Once it is determined that a bill has substantial support it will be discussed and debated in the House or Senate depending on where it originated. The House will have to pass its own bill and the Senate will do the same. Then (as with healthcare) both bills will be reconciled before being sent to the president for signature or veto.

On March 20, 2010 and March 21, 2010 there were immigration rallies across America most notably in Washington DC and California calling for Immigration Reform now.  As expected this will be a hotly contested issue, but it does not mean CIR will not get done. There are some political calculations to be made.

Has President Obama spent too much political capital in getting healthcare passed to now take on Comprehensive immigration reform?

Some might argue that President Obama has exhausted too much political capital; his opinion rating went down steadily as the Healthcare Bill was thrashed out in the media. Political capital is very important; political capital is the ability to galvanize support around you. If the president’s cause is seen as a vote winner then leaders will flock to sign up and vice versa. Some people are arguing that the country has been so divided by the new healthcare law that it will cost the Democrats a lot of votes and seats in these up-coming mid-term elections. Worried Democrats may then feel they cannot afford to take on another major piece of legislation before November 2010. After they have secured their seat in re-election then they’ll have the security to take on CIR.

Some people may argue that taking on CIR now is a vote winner since the country is divided anyway, where for example 40% of the population is Republican no matter what and 40% are Democrat no matter what, so the fight is really for the 20% of independents and undecided voters. Many believe that the Hispanic vote in particular is so strong now that they in fact hold the balance of power so whichever side wins the Latino vote has the best chance come the mid-term elections in November.  Therefore, passing CIR, could be a huge vote winner and thus CIR must happen within the next few months, certainly by July 2010 so they can campaign on it for the November elections.

With these considerations in mind I have to say in my opinion CIR is far from a done deal. Firstly, the Latino vote is not evenly spread through America, there are high concentrations in a number of states such as California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, but not so much in states like Washington, Montana, North and South Dakota, Wisconsin and many of the northern states.  Therefore the argument can be made that what might be a vote winner from a leader in California might be a vote loser in Montana. This brings me right back to the issue of the power of presidential political capital. If the president’s political appeal rebounds as he now tours the country campaigning for acceptance of the new healthcare reforms, or if he then takes on and campaigns for CIR he will attract support from across America as a whole and his momentum could carry the day on CIR as it did for healthcare reform. I can’t wait to see what emerges in April.

Topics covered in this issue
– Comprehensive Health Care Reform –
– Comprehensive Immigration Reform –
– Green Card By Marriage –
– Student F1 Visa –
– US Immigration for Top Professionals –
– US Immigration for BA Graduates –

US Immigration Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram
Chris M. Ingram LL.M., ESQ – Immigration Attorney
Admitted in New York.
Practice Specializing in US Immigration Law
520 Broadway, Suite 350,
Santa Monica,
California 90401
Tel: 310 496 4292

Everyday the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram provides a comprehensive range of US Immigration expertise. We also provide a free consultation for our prospective clients.

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