IndiaPost.com - Urge Cong to pass smaller immigration measures

Although comprehensive immigration reform went down in flames earlier in the summer of 2007, there is hope that smaller measures could get passed in Congress. On September 20, 2007, Senator Durbin offered an amendment to the military authorization bill (H.R. 1585), which would introduce the DREAM Act (S.A. 2919).

This measure would provide a path to permanent legal status for illegal immigrant students who came to the US before they were 16 years old, graduated from high school in good standing and agreed to serve in the military or attend college for at least two years.

The DREAM Act is not only supported by immigrant activists but also by school and college students across the country. It is a measure that would help undocumented students who are out of status for no fault of their own to legalize their status, get enrolled in colleges and universities and find employment.

If the DREAM Act is passed, it will give an opportunity to thousands of students to advance their careers rather than being part of the undocumented underclass. It will also allow the military to recruit more young people.

Another comprehensive piece of legislation AgJOBS (S.340 and H.R.371), also has a chance of passage, except that this bill's main sponsor, Senator Larry Craig, is on his way out due to a scandal. AgJOBS will provide undocumented farm workers with a path to legalization and allow them to continue working on the nation's farms.

Without a stable workforce of farm workers, America may not have access to safe, homegrown food. It is also hoped that piecemeal measures may get enacted for H-1B relief as well as to reduce the backlogs in the Employment-based and Family-based preferences.

On September 18, 2007, about 1000 legal immigrants on the pathway to permanent residency protested outside the Capital to demand faster track to permanent residency. It was the first time that legal immigrants protested through the efforts of a grass roots organization, immigrationvoice.org.

These demonstrators attempted to highlight their issue independent of the larger issue of legalizing the status of over 12 million undocumented immigrants. Readers are urged to reach out to their elected representatives to pass these smaller measures, even though comprehensive immigration reform collapsed earlier this year.

At this time, the DREAM Act needs a lot of support since anti-immigrant restrictionists are flooding the Congressional phone lines again. College-bound kids, who can only benefit the US, are presently the target of their ire against illegal immigrants.

There is a small and very vocal minority that reflexively says "No" to any beneficial measure pertaining to immigrants. In addition to writing to your Senators, it may also be worth calling them.