A group of House Democrats is unveiling their own plans for border security and immigration reform, another sign that the left is gradually widening the debate over how to solve America’s immigration crisis.
The New Democratic Coalition, a caucus of about 100 members who describe themselves as “center-left,” is pushing for more legal residency and citizenship paths for workers, as well as on the southern border and in immigration courts. clarified the framework for requesting an increase in personnel. ”, “Dreamers”, etc.
Among other measures, the plan would permanently authorize programs that allow international students studying in the United States to legally remain in the country after earning their degrees. It would also expand legal pathways for immigrant farm workers and establish a new nonimmigrant work visa category for U.S. industries facing talent shortages.
It would also include legal recourse for people who entered the country illegally but have worked and paid taxes for at least five years, provided they pay fines and pass criminal background checks.
Republicans pursue Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas over role in housing immigrants on federal land
Annie Kuster, the new chair of the Democratic Coalition, announced the group’s plan for sweeping immigration and border security reform. (Getty Images)
On the enforcement side, the plan calls for increasing the number of border agents at ports of entry by at least 500 people and increasing salaries for some Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers.
The Democratic framework would create an independent judiciary in immigration courts and increase the number of judges to reduce the current backlog.
To manage the flow of migrants coming to the United States for asylum, the bill would create “new regional processing centers” in Latin America, where migrants would be granted interviews and cases would be taken up. In addition to the United States, they would be eligible for legal entry into “participating countries” such as Canada and Spain.
This is part of an overall shift within the Democratic Party, with top mainstream liberals acknowledging the need to overhaul America’s immigration system.
Republicans pursue Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas over role in housing immigrants on federal land
Incoming Congressman Tom Suozzi scored an important victory for Democrats, largely by eschewing progressive politics and focusing on border and local issues. (AP Photo/Stephen Jeremiah)
Incoming Rep. Tom Suozzi (DN.Y.) was in the spotlight on Tuesday as he empathizes with voters’ concerns about the border and is set to succeed expelled Rep. George Santos (RN.Y.). He won a special election.
Both parties poured millions of dollars into the race, but Mr. Suozzi won a decisive victory for his party and shrunk the House Republican majority by running a campaign that largely ignored progressive ideals. .
“Their candidate ran like a Republican. He sounded like a Republican talking about the border and immigration. That’s the top issue,” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) said at a press conference Wednesday. “Everyone knows that,” he said of Suozzi.
A recent Fox News poll found that nearly 8 in 10 voters think the border is an important issue, with 34% saying the border is an emergency and 45% saying it’s a big issue. Ta.
Senate packages tank immigration, foreign aid spending after Republican pushback over border rules
President Biden has increasingly referred to the border situation as a “crisis.” (Jim Watson)
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President Biden himself has made notable comments on the border, particularly amid Senate and White House talks over a now-defunct plan to provide aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan while overhauling U.S. border security. It is becoming more radical.
He has repeatedly called the border situation a “crisis” and even vowed to close the border if Congress grants him authority to do so, angering his progressive allies.
Biden said in April 2021 that the border was in “crisis,” but the White House later retracted that statement.
