As the first Asian American elected to the Illinois State Senate and the first Indian American elected to the Illinois General Assembly, I am unfortunately surprised by the accusation that Senator Durbin is anyone short of a champion for ALL immigrant families.
This “Divide and Conquer” strategy, as it relates to the different immigrant communities. by Donald Trump has been a longstanding, deep concern of mine. The notion that the Trump administration and Senate Republicans are pro-immigrant is absurd. They are cynically using this issue to appeal to immigrants, who are rightfully frustrated and who have faced severe injustices, with a flawed solution.
I would ask the immigrant communities who are behind this particular legislation consider the following:
1) Today it is other immigrant communities that Donald Trump and Republicans want to target. Tomorrow it could be you. Wouldn’t you want people to stand together in a way where every community can thrive and prosper?
2) Let’s set the record straight. Senator Durbin has been a staunch supporter of comprehensive immigration reform and ALL immigrant communities throughout his career.
He LED the bipartisan effort for comprehensive immigration reform in 2013, which included lifting the per-country caps and clearing the backlogs for ALL immigrants waiting in line for green cards.
It passed with 68 votes. President Obama made it clear he would sign this legislation. Republican House Speaker John Boehner wouldn’t call it for a vote. Where was Donald Trump at that time? What did Senator Mike Lee do that time (HINT: He voted NO)?
To question Senator Durbin’s record on immigration is to not know the facts.
3) If you are serious about achieving a resolution, let’s sit down and try to work it out. Don’t smear the record of someone who has fought for our communities for decades.
The President and his apologists in Congress have stopped all immigration measures in the Senate. No committee action, and no meaningful floor debate. Join me in calling on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to hold a hearing.
The Fairness for High Skilled Immigrants Act, which would eliminate the per-country cap for employment-based visas, was once again stalled in the Senate Sept. 26.
The authors of S386, Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Kamala Harris, D-California, have asked for unanimous consent on the measure, which has received support from numerous Indian American advocacy groups, including Immigration Voice. Unanimous consent allows a bill to come to the floor on an expedited track, but cannot be used if a single senator objects.
Currently, Indians who have approved green card applications are stuck in a queue with an average wait time of 75 years before they receive a green card, due to per-country caps which state that no country can receive more than 7 percent of all employment-based green cards available that year. S386 — and HR 1044, which passed the House in July — would eliminate the per country cap. In the first of three phases, Indian Americans would be eligible for 85 percent of all green cards available that year, and 90 percent the following year.
“Let’s be clear — lifting green card country caps alone without increasing green cards … will not eliminate the backlog for Indian immigrants,” Durbin said in a Senate session last week.
“And it will dramatically increase backlogs for the rest of the world,” he said.
Durbin’s competing legislation, the Relief Act, vows to clear the entire backlog over a five-year time frame and is endorsed by such organizations as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
But the Cato Institute’s Bier told the Nikkei Asian Review that a proposal to issue more green cards has little chance of being enacted by the Trump administration, which has an antagonistic stance on immigration.
* A group called Immigration Voice placed an ad in the Chicago Tribune slamming Durbin…
The group has also raised about $160,000 online so far to run more ads…
Senator Dick Durbin is trying to trick immigrants into believing that he is not anti-immigrant. However, now everyone knows that Senator Durbin is not at all sincere about the parody bill he is using to attack the Fairness Bill. […]
Senator Durbin falsely claimed that this is a “Republican” bill. In reality, this bill was written by the Democratic Immigration Chairwoman Zoe Lofgren and passed with 224 Democratic votes in the House, including the entire Illinois House Delegation. The companion bill in the Senate has 15 Democratic Cosponsors.
Though Senator Durbin gets furious and red-faced whenever anyone tries to add our kids, who are in danger of losing their legal status once they age out in the backlog, to his Dream act so that they too have legal protection once they age out—he has no trouble or shame sabotaging this bill because he resents the people who it will help, which includes children like Manhitha, Uma Shreya, and Ankitnoor.
The conservative Club for Growth has launched digital advertisements in four key Congressional Districts, including Illinois’ 14th CD. They point is to encourage voters to tell their 2018-elected representatives to “stop supporting the phony impeachment process and instead start solving problems. Part of the reason they picked IL’s 14th CD is it is among four districts nationwide whose seats were flipped from Republican to Democratic in 2018.
More green cards equals more American residents. That’s a good thing. Why not try for that? If Trump doesn’t like it, veto him or have him explain how more legal immigrants is hurting Americans.
- Grandson of Man - Friday, Oct 25, 19 @ 11:54 am:
Defending Trump in the collars when he’s helped wreck the ILGOP and HGOP in DC. That’s a winning strategy.
“They point is to encourage voters to tell their 2018-elected representatives to stop supporting the phony impeachment process and instead start solving problems.”
They can do both. A Michelin star chef makes meals for his patrons but he still has to take out the garbage at the end of the day.
So - Senator Durban should be pilloried because he doesn’t want to hand over the vast majority of green cards to people from India, who appear to be the only “high-skilled”immigrants - just ask their lobbying groups. Clearing up the backlog within 5 years (as the plan Durbin favors) is not enough.
And the President is not likely to support the bill anyway.
Immigration issues are so complicated and fraught with emotion. I’ve stopped reading about them.
I do wonder, however, why more US citizens aren’t able to qualify for high-skilled jobs, leaving employers to search internationally. We US taxpayers have paid trillions into our education systems, public and private, over the decades and we have to go outside the country to fill these positions? What are our students being prepared for, then? UBI? Or are employers hiring green card holders at subpar wages. Neither of these conditions should exist, regardless of one’s beliefs regarding immigration laws.
And if our US students are now competing internationally for US jobs, isn’t it time for our education system to be held accountable
- Not a Superstar - Friday, Oct 25, 19 @ 12:35 pm:
Lol. All you need to know about “Immigration Voice” you can see in their National Advisory Board listing. Former advisor to Dick Cheney; lobbyist and former aide to Pete (Prop 186) Wilson and numerous Republican senators; and a Cato Institute/Federalist Society flack.
Oops! I responded “yes” on Underwood’s e-mail poll in favor of an impeachment investigation. I don’t think I can take that back. Actually, I don’t want to.
“What are our students being prepared for, then? UBI? Or are employers hiring green card holders at subpar wages.”
Green card holders are legal and are protected by the same labor laws as citizens so I’m not sure why you think they would choose to work at sub par wages.
UBI is a pipe dream
Wild that conservatives are running ads accusing Democrats of trying to “cancel the next [election]” while right-wing outlets like the Federalist are straight-up arguing that the next election won’t be legitimate unless Trump wins.
- Where's the Fairness - Friday, Oct 25, 19 @ 2:09 pm:
“Cassandra” although I would not disagree that our education system needs improvement, from personal experience your latter remark “Or are employers hiring green card holders at subpar wages.” is also accurate. Maybe more Americans would enter these fields if they weren’t being replaced by employee paid with sub-par wages. NPR ran a story 2 or 3 years ago about a public utility in NJ who replaced many long term employees with HB-1 Visa candidates in large part because they were able to pay the HB-1 candidates $20,000/year less. These HB-1 candidates did not possess any skills beyond the current employees except for the fact that they would accept significant lower pay. One of the replaced workers had 3 or 4 kids and ended up being a part time custodian for a church. Again NPR, not Fox news
Where’s the Fairness: H-1B visa holders are not the same as green card holders.
I agree there are some problems with H-1B rules that need to be addressed. The most concerning one is that even if the company blatantly breaks the law the federal government won’t go after the company. It’s on the laid off employees to sue in civil court. Not too many recently laid off people can hire lawyers, and many companies are making employees waive their rights to court and instead use a company selected arbitration company.
The why is Sen Durbin blocking S386? It is a subset of his RELIEF act. He introduced RELIEF a few weeks ago .. this bill was introduced in 2007. Does he not believe that RELIEF will pass in the next 12 years?
I am a legal immigrant on h1b earning 6 figure pay. Have interviewed so many people of different nationalities and couldnt find right skill. So though I agree H1b is abused, I think the blame is being put on the wrong target. To those citizens who blame h1b, ask yourself this, when you join an employer do you ask whether someone was laid off so you can fill the position. NO right. You just attend interview and accept compensation and join. So same goes with anyone on H1b. Blame the companies for not being ready to invest and train college grads. Employers want to see productivity from day one so college grads cannot even know how to work without an experience. It amazes me how companies, organizations are let as they are and blaming the workers has become the norm of the day. I support companies being set tight standards and rules regarding hiring immigrants.
One another point would like to highlight is that immigrants stuck in backlog are already here on h1b who many complain are stuck with same employer thereby keeping the wage levels low. Once they get PR, they can switch jobs to high paying employers which aids in wage growth.
Also, for diversity there is diversity visa anyways. When it comes to skills why does birth country matter as long as one holds skills to find a work. To sum up i think backlog should be cleared by removing birth country limitation at the same time all employers should go through may be a government owned job portal where the govt has volunteer citizens who can contribute to bringing a better process.
- Fav human - Friday, Oct 25, 19 @ 11:45 am:
I personally know several people who were laid off while H1-b were kept.
The L-1 visa, allegedly for executive, is abused relentlessly. Note the below, the poor guy was just a worker bee mechanical engineer.
I don’t often cheer Durbin, but this time he is doing stellar service.
https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Employee-Review-Motorola-Mobility-RVW29878809.htm
- 17% Solution - Friday, Oct 25, 19 @ 11:46 am:
More green cards equals more American residents. That’s a good thing. Why not try for that? If Trump doesn’t like it, veto him or have him explain how more legal immigrants is hurting Americans.
- Grandson of Man - Friday, Oct 25, 19 @ 11:54 am:
Defending Trump in the collars when he’s helped wreck the ILGOP and HGOP in DC. That’s a winning strategy.
- 17% Solution - Friday, Oct 25, 19 @ 12:04 pm:
“They point is to encourage voters to tell their 2018-elected representatives to stop supporting the phony impeachment process and instead start solving problems.”
They can do both. A Michelin star chef makes meals for his patrons but he still has to take out the garbage at the end of the day.
- Mr. Smith - Friday, Oct 25, 19 @ 12:10 pm:
So - Senator Durban should be pilloried because he doesn’t want to hand over the vast majority of green cards to people from India, who appear to be the only “high-skilled”immigrants - just ask their lobbying groups. Clearing up the backlog within 5 years (as the plan Durbin favors) is not enough.
And the President is not likely to support the bill anyway.
Is that about what it comes down to?
- Cassandra - Friday, Oct 25, 19 @ 12:26 pm:
Immigration issues are so complicated and fraught with emotion. I’ve stopped reading about them.
I do wonder, however, why more US citizens aren’t able to qualify for high-skilled jobs, leaving employers to search internationally. We US taxpayers have paid trillions into our education systems, public and private, over the decades and we have to go outside the country to fill these positions? What are our students being prepared for, then? UBI? Or are employers hiring green card holders at subpar wages. Neither of these conditions should exist, regardless of one’s beliefs regarding immigration laws.
And if our US students are now competing internationally for US jobs, isn’t it time for our education system to be held accountable
- Not a Superstar - Friday, Oct 25, 19 @ 12:35 pm:
Lol. All you need to know about “Immigration Voice” you can see in their National Advisory Board listing. Former advisor to Dick Cheney; lobbyist and former aide to Pete (Prop 186) Wilson and numerous Republican senators; and a Cato Institute/Federalist Society flack.
- Proud Sucker - Friday, Oct 25, 19 @ 12:47 pm:
Oops! I responded “yes” on Underwood’s e-mail poll in favor of an impeachment investigation. I don’t think I can take that back. Actually, I don’t want to.
- 17% Solution - Friday, Oct 25, 19 @ 1:02 pm:
“What are our students being prepared for, then? UBI? Or are employers hiring green card holders at subpar wages.”
Green card holders are legal and are protected by the same labor laws as citizens so I’m not sure why you think they would choose to work at sub par wages.
UBI is a pipe dream
- Quibbler - Friday, Oct 25, 19 @ 1:27 pm:
Wild that conservatives are running ads accusing Democrats of trying to “cancel the next [election]” while right-wing outlets like the Federalist are straight-up arguing that the next election won’t be legitimate unless Trump wins.
- Cheryl44 - Friday, Oct 25, 19 @ 2:08 pm:
Qibbler, that’s what they do.
- Where's the Fairness - Friday, Oct 25, 19 @ 2:09 pm:
“Cassandra” although I would not disagree that our education system needs improvement, from personal experience your latter remark “Or are employers hiring green card holders at subpar wages.” is also accurate. Maybe more Americans would enter these fields if they weren’t being replaced by employee paid with sub-par wages. NPR ran a story 2 or 3 years ago about a public utility in NJ who replaced many long term employees with HB-1 Visa candidates in large part because they were able to pay the HB-1 candidates $20,000/year less. These HB-1 candidates did not possess any skills beyond the current employees except for the fact that they would accept significant lower pay. One of the replaced workers had 3 or 4 kids and ended up being a part time custodian for a church. Again NPR, not Fox news
- 17% Solution - Friday, Oct 25, 19 @ 2:22 pm:
Where’s the Fairness: H-1B visa holders are not the same as green card holders.
I agree there are some problems with H-1B rules that need to be addressed. The most concerning one is that even if the company blatantly breaks the law the federal government won’t go after the company. It’s on the laid off employees to sue in civil court. Not too many recently laid off people can hire lawyers, and many companies are making employees waive their rights to court and instead use a company selected arbitration company.
- Lurker - Friday, Oct 25, 19 @ 3:06 pm:
For Halloween I am dressing up as the letter M.
My wife is dressing up as a peach.
We are debating if we want to spend the money on Trump masks
- Fav human - Friday, Oct 25, 19 @ 3:25 pm:
” why us citizen”
Two reasons. Colleges limit enrollment in hot fields. Check out the ACT you need to get into uiuc Comp Sci course.
The other is silicon valley refuses to open branch office to be able to hire nationwide.
I personally saw(can swear to in a court of law) no fewer than 5 H1-b holders living in one two bedroom apartment in lake county.
One guy slept on the couch.
Also, h1-b can’t change employers.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 12:15 am:
The why is Sen Durbin blocking S386? It is a subset of his RELIEF act. He introduced RELIEF a few weeks ago .. this bill was introduced in 2007. Does he not believe that RELIEF will pass in the next 12 years?
- Iamlogic - Wednesday, Oct 30, 19 @ 3:45 pm:
I am a legal immigrant on h1b earning 6 figure pay. Have interviewed so many people of different nationalities and couldnt find right skill. So though I agree H1b is abused, I think the blame is being put on the wrong target. To those citizens who blame h1b, ask yourself this, when you join an employer do you ask whether someone was laid off so you can fill the position. NO right. You just attend interview and accept compensation and join. So same goes with anyone on H1b. Blame the companies for not being ready to invest and train college grads. Employers want to see productivity from day one so college grads cannot even know how to work without an experience. It amazes me how companies, organizations are let as they are and blaming the workers has become the norm of the day. I support companies being set tight standards and rules regarding hiring immigrants.
- Iamlogic - Wednesday, Oct 30, 19 @ 5:00 pm:
One another point would like to highlight is that immigrants stuck in backlog are already here on h1b who many complain are stuck with same employer thereby keeping the wage levels low. Once they get PR, they can switch jobs to high paying employers which aids in wage growth.
Also, for diversity there is diversity visa anyways. When it comes to skills why does birth country matter as long as one holds skills to find a work. To sum up i think backlog should be cleared by removing birth country limitation at the same time all employers should go through may be a government owned job portal where the govt has volunteer citizens who can contribute to bringing a better process.