Jul 7

Written by: The VISANOW Legal Team
7/7/2011 9:32 AM 

Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), along with six democratic senators, recently reintroduced an immigration reform bill entitled The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2011. The legislation aims to strengthen border security, enhance worksite enforcement of immigration laws, and requires that undocumented immigrants currently living in the U.S. to pass numerous checkpoints before attaining permanent residency.

The proposed bill will also include the DREAM Act. Sen. Richard Durbin, a supporter of Menendez’s bill, commented, “I want the DREAM Act to be the catalyst for comprehensive immigration reform.” Durbin believes passing the DREAM Act will help to kick-start support and open up doors for the U.S.’s need for a comprehensive immigration reform.

Unlike Rep. Lamar Smith’s E-Verify bill, this legislation allows immigrants to remain in the country if they follow the new bill’s path towards permanent residency. Although the bill requires the use of an employee verification system, workers will not be deported.

The checkpoints that illegal aliens have to pass include registering with the U.S. government, paying taxes, learning English, passing a background check, paying penalties for having false documents and waiting in line for permanent residence. Menendez’s bill also creates common-sense rules to ensure that current U.S. citizens are not wrongfully arrested and requires the use of an employment verification system.

“This is common-sense legislation that addresses the realities of the situation, stops the flow across our borders, and contributes to our economic recovery. If we can put political grandstanding aside and come together on a comprehensive, pragmatic bill like this one, we can bring resolution to a great national need,” Menendez said.
 

Photo attribution: http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidprior/