U.S. Capital

White House May Attempt to Cut Legal Immigration in Half

Oct 10, 2017

Houston, TX (Law Firm Newswire) October 10, 2017 – Just recently, Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) and David Perdue (R-Georgia), standing alongside President Donald J. Trump, indicated there may possibly be new legislation in the making, the RAISE Act.

The Act’s intention is to set limits on legal immigration and use a system that rates skills and merit and not family ties. According to Trump, speaking about the Bill’s possibilities, it could be “the most significant reform to our immigration system in half a century.”

The RAISE Act is not likely to positively affect the U.S. economy. What it would likely do is make it even more difficult for American businesses and communities to remain competitive globally. Senator Lindsay Graham indicated that he had dealt with the legal immigration issue for over ten years and from experience he had noted that when legal labor is restricted to only employers, it drives people to find creative ways to cheat the system.

RAISE appears to aim at replacing the existing process for those hoping to obtain a green card and using a skills-based point system for employment visas. The Bill would retain priority for minor children and spouses, but erase the preference for U.S. residents’ extended and adult family members.

The RAISE act has a number of warning flags. For one, shining a light only on advanced skills would virtually eliminate legal immigrants who do not possess advanced skills but are still needed to fill other jobs. Additionally, according to Senator Graham, the RAISE bill would create an even larger problem by reducing the legal immigration pool by 50 percent, which would include many immigrants legally employed in service industries, agriculture and tourism.

Democratic Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) feels the Bill is a “non-starter” and that it “doesn’t make much sense,” because it would cut legal immigration by a half a million people.

The Bill would favor English speaking applicants, individuals who had an offer for a high paying job, those with skills that help boost the economy and those who are able to support themselves financially. Even though the two Senators who drafted the Bill suggest the law would increase wages, see the country become more competitive in the future and create more jobs, the rest of the Senate appears to be ignoring the proposal.

“Whether the RAISE Act will pass remains to be seen,” said respected Huston immigration attorney Annie Banerjee. In the meantime, it appears that even more suggestions to deal with legal immigration may be forthcoming. Individuals needing assistance with immigration matters are best advised to seek legal counsel from an experienced immigration attorney.

Learn more at http://www.visatous.com

Law Offices of Annie Banerjee
131 Brooks Street, Suite #300
Sugar Land, Texas 77478
Phone: (281) 242-9139