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Unauthorized Childhood Arrivals: Legislative Options [September 14, 2017]
"In 2012, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) began granting deferred action through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to certain individuals without lawful immigration status who had arrived in the United States as children and met other requirements. The requirements included initial entry into the United States before age 16, continuous U.S. residence since June 15, 2007, and being under age 31 as of June 15, 2012. Deferred action provides protection against removal from the United States. Individuals granted deferred action also may receive work authorization. Initial grants of deferred action under DACA were for two years and could be renewed in two-year increments. As of March 31, 2017, DHS had approved 787,580 initial requests for DACA from applicants residing in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and several U.S. territories"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bruno, Andorra
2017-09-14
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Immigration: U.S. Asylum Policy [February 19, 2019]
"Asylum is a complex area of immigration law and policy. While much of the recent debate surrounding asylum has focused on efforts by the Trump Administration to address asylum seekers arriving at the U.S. southern border, U.S. asylum policies have long been a subject of discussion. The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) of 1952, as originally enacted, did not contain any language on asylum. Asylum provisions were added and then revised by a series of subsequent laws. Currently, the INA provides for the granting of asylum to an alien who applies for such relief in accordance with applicable requirements and is determined to be a refugee. The INA defines a refugee, in general, as a person who is outside his or her country of nationality and is unable or unwilling to return to that country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bruno, Andorra
2019-02-19
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Recent Migration to the United States from Central America: Frequently Asked Questions [Updated January 29, 2019]
From the Document: "Over the last decade, migration to the United States from Central America--in particular from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras (known collectively as the Northern Triangle)--has increased considerably. Families migrating from this region, many seeking asylum, have made up an increasing share of the migrants seeking admission to the United States at the U.S.-Mexico border. In the past year, news reports of migrant 'caravans' from the Northern Triangle traveling toward the United States have sparked intense interest and questions from Congress."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Wilson, Jill, 1974-; Bruno, Andorra; Elsea, Jennifer K. . . .
2019-01-29
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Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA): By the Numbers [April 14, 2021]
From the Document: "On January 20, 2021, his first day in office, President Joe Biden issued a memorandum to the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Attorney General on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative. The presidential memorandum directed the DHS Secretary, in consultation with the Attorney General, to 'take all actions he deems appropriate, consistent with applicable law, to preserve and fortify DACA.' [...] To help inform possible legislative activity related to DACA and Dreamers, this report considers available data on the DACA population from DHS and other sources. An initial background section provides a brief history of DACA and its current status. Three categories of data are then presented and discussed: (1) data on the DACA-eligible population, (2) data on DACA applications, and (3) data on DACA recipients. Finally, the report addresses the issue of unauthorized immigrants and LPR status, focusing in particular on DACA recipients and related data."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bruno, Andorra
2021-04-14
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Iraqi and Afghan Special Immigrant Visa Programs [December 12, 2017]
"Congress has enacted a series of legislative provisions since 2006 to enable certain Iraqi and Afghan nationals to become U.S. lawful permanent residents (LPRs). These provisions make certain Iraqis and Afghans who have worked as translators or interpreters, or who were employed by, or on behalf of, the U.S. government in Iraq or Afghanistan, eligible for special immigrant visas (SIVs). Special immigrants comprise a category of permanent employment-based admissions under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). While the special immigrant category is unique, it does bear some similarities to other admission categories that are authorized by other sections of the INA, including refugees and Amerasian children."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bruno, Andorra
2017-12-12
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Syrian Refugee Admissions and Resettlement in the United States: In Brief [September 16, 2016]
"The admission of Syrian refugees to the United States has generated public controversy, with opponents citing concerns chiefly about terrorism and national security. As of August 31, 2016, the United States has admitted 10,740 Syrian refugees in FY2016, meeting the Obama Administration's fiscal year goal. These new arrivals have been placed in 40 states. From October 1, 2010, through August 31, 2016, the United States admitted a total of 12,623 Syrian refugees. The admission of refugees to the United States and their resettlement here are authorized by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), as amended by the Refugee Act of 1980. [...] The Department of State's (DOS's) Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) is responsible for coordinating and managing the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. Prospective refugees can be referred to the U.S. program by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, a U.S. embassy, or a designated nongovernmental organization (NGO), or in some cases, they can access the U.S. refugee program directly. [...] Refugees who are accepted for U.S. resettlement are placed in communities throughout the United States. Regardless of where refugees are initially resettled, they are free to relocate at any time. Once admitted to the United States, refugees are eligible for initial resettlement assistance through the DOS Reception and Placement Program and longer-term resettlement assistance through the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bruno, Andorra
2016-09-16
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Syrian Refugee Admissions and Resettlement in the United States: In Brief [November 19, 2015]
From the Introduction: "The November 2015 attacks in Paris have crystallized concerns among some policymakers in the United States about admitting Syrian refugees. Questions have been raised about the refugee admission process, particularly the security vetting procedures. Some policymakers have urged the Obama Administration to stop admitting Syrian refugees for now and a number of governors have expressed an unwillingness to accept Syrian refugees in their states. The Administration previously announced that it would admit at least 10,000 Syrian refugees in FY2016. To assist Congress in addressing issues related to Syrian refugees and U.S. refugee policy generally, this report details the U.S. refugee admissions process and the placement and resettlement of arriving refugees in the United States."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bruno, Andorra
2015-11-19
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U.S. Refugee Admissions in FY2021 [April 27, 2021]
From the Document: "On April 16, 2021, President Joe Biden issued an emergency presidential determination [hyperlink] (PD) on FY2021 refugee admissions. The emergency PD revised the allocations in the original FY2021 PD [hyperlink] issued by President Donald Trump in October 2020. The new PD left the earlier one's refugee ceiling of 15,000 unchanged. The refugee provisions in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA §207 [hyperlink]) authorize the President, after consulting with members of the House Judiciary Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee, to issue a PD before the beginning of the fiscal year. In the PD, the President sets the refugee ceiling for the year and allocates that ceiling among refugees of special humanitarian concern to the United States. INA Section 207(b) further allows the President, after congressional consultation, to issue an emergency determination in the middle of a fiscal year in the event of 'an unforeseen refugee emergency situation.'"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bruno, Andorra
2021-04-27
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H-2B Visa and the Statutory Cap: In Brief [Updated May 14, 2019]
From the Introduction: "FY2019 is the fourth year in a row that Congress has enacted a special provision to allow for the issuance of H-2B [non-agricultural] visas beyond the annual statutory cap of 66,000 in response to high levels of demand for the visa. For FY2016, Congress exempted certain H-2B workers from the statutory cap. For the three past fiscal years, Congress has authorized the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to make additional H-2B visas available subject to certain conditions. For FY2017 and FY2018, DHS used this authority to make an additional 15,000 H-2B visas available each year. For FY2019, DHS is making an additional 30,000 H-2B visas available."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bruno, Andorra
2019-05-14
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President's Immigration Accountability Executive Action of November 20, 2014: Overview and Issues [January 8, 2015]
"On November 20, 2014, President Obama announced his Immigration Accountability Executive Action which revises some U.S. immigration policies and initiates several programs, including a revised border security policy for the Southwest border; deferred action programs for some unauthorized aliens; revised interior enforcement priorities; changes to aid the entry of skilled workers; the promotion of immigrant integration and naturalization; and several other initiatives the President indicated would improve the U.S. immigration system. The most controversial among these provisions will grant deferred action to as many as 5 million unauthorized aliens."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kandel, William; Bjelopera, Jerome P.; Bruno, Andorra . . .
2015-01-08
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Immigration Legislation Enacted in the 107th Congress [February 26, 2003]
From the Document: "This report provides brief summaries of 16 immigration-related laws enacted by the 107th Congress, organized by issue areas. However, it does not cover appropriations provisions."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bruno, Andorra
2003-02-26
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Immigration of Temporary Lower-Skilled Workers: Current Policy and Related Issues [Updated December 13, 2012]
From the Document: "This report discusses existing visa programs for temporary lower-skilled workers, including regulatory changes since 2008. It covers legislative efforts to reform current programs and to create new guest worker visas. It further identifies and explores key policy considerations to help inform congressional action on guest worker programs."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bruno, Andorra
2012-12-13
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Immigration Legislation and Issues in the 116th Congress [Updated June 19, 2020]
From the Summary: "The House and the Senate have considered measures on a variety of immigration issues in the 116th Congress. These issues include border security, immigration enforcement, legalization of unauthorized immigrants, temporary and permanent immigration, and humanitarian admissions. Several immigration measures were enacted into law. Among them are the Northern Mariana Islands Long-Term Legal Residents Relief Act (P.L. 116-24) and the Citizenship for Children of Military Members and Civil Servants Act (P.L. 116-133). The 116th Congress also enacted immigration provisions as part of larger defense and appropriations bills. [...] This report discusses these and other immigration-related issues that have seen legislative action in the 116th Congress."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bruno, Andorra; Kandel, William; Wilson, Jill, 1974-
2020-06-19
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H-2A and H-2B Temporary Worker Visas: Policy and Related Issues [Updated June 9, 2020]
From the Summary: "Certain foreign workers, sometimes referred to as guest workers, may be admitted to the United States to perform temporary labor under two temporary worker visas: the H-2A visa for agricultural workers and the H-2B visa for nonagricultural workers. The H-2A visa is not subject to any numerical limitations, while the H-2B visa is subject to a statutory annual cap of 66,000. H-2A and H-2B workers fill jobs that do not require much formal education. H-2A workers perform seasonal or temporary agricultural labor. They also engage in range herding and livestock production. H-2B workers perform temporary jobs in a variety of fields including landscaping, meat and seafood processing, and construction. The H-2A and H-2B programs are administered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Labor (DOL). These agencies and the Department of State (DOS) have made adjustments, and in the case of DHS issued H-2A and H-2B temporary final rules, related to guest worker visas in response to the coronavirus pandemic."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bruno, Andorra
2020-06-09
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FY2021 Refugee Ceiling and Allocations [November 3, 2020]
From the Document: "On October 28, 2020, President Donald Trump issued the Presidential Determination setting the FY2021 refugee ceiling at 15,000. The refugee ceiling is the maximum number of refugees that can be admitted to the United States in a given fiscal year. The Presidential Determination is typically issued before the start, or in the first week, of a new fiscal year. Refugees cannot be admitted to the United States until the Presidential Determination for that fiscal year has been issued. From October 1, 2020, until the issuance of the FY2021 Presidential Determination, no refugees could be admitted to the United States. The FY2021 refugee ceiling is the lowest in the 40-year history of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bruno, Andorra
2020-11-03
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Immigration Legislation and Issues in the 116th Congress [Updated July 27, 2020]
From the Summary: "The House and the Senate have considered measures on a variety of immigration issues in the 116th Congress. These issues include border security, immigration enforcement, legalization of unauthorized immigrants, temporary and permanent immigration, and humanitarian admissions. [...] This report discusses these and other immigration-related issues that have seen legislativeaction in the 116th Congress."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bruno, Andorra; Kandel, William; Kolker, Abigail F. . . .
2020-07-27
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Immigration Legislation and Issues in the 116th Congress [June 12, 2020]
From the Introduction: "The 116th Congress has seen considerable committee and floor action on immigration legislation, particularly in the House. The House and/or the Senate have acted on bills addressing a range of immigration issue areas, including border security, immigration enforcement, legalization of unauthorized immigrants, temporary and permanent immigration, and humanitarian admissions. Some of these bills include amendments to the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), the basis of U.S. immigration law. Several immigration provisions were enacted as part of larger appropriations and defense authorization bills. These provisions variously address the H-2B [Temporary Non-Agricultural Workers] visa, U.S. refugee admissions, Afghan special immigrant visas, and the immigration status of Liberians who are long-time U.S. residents, among other issues. Through FY2019 and FY2020 consolidated appropriations measures, the 116th Congress extended the EB-5 [Employment Based Immigration- Fifth Preference] Regional Center Program for immigrant investors, the E-Verify employment eligibility verification system, and two other immigration programs, all of which are now authorized through September 30, 2020. The 116th Congress also enacted stand-alone measures concerning immigration in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and citizenship for children born abroad to parents who are U.S. military servicemembers or U.S. government employees. This report discusses these and other immigration-related measures that have received legislative action in the 116th Congress."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bruno, Andorra; Kandel, William; Wilson, Jill, 1974-
2020-06-12
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Presidential Proclamation on Unlawful Border Crossers and Asylum [Updated November 13, 2018]
From the Document: "On November 9, 2018, President Donald Trump issued a presidential proclamation to immediately suspend the entry of foreign nationals (aliens) who cross into the United States at the U.S.-Mexico border without inspection. The pronouncement further references that those who enter in contravention of the suspension will be ineligible for asylum under an interim final rule issued jointly by the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice on that same date. The proclamation and the rule are being challenged in federal court. In the words of the proclamation, its issuance was prompted by the anticipated arrival at the U.S. Southwest border of 'a substantial number of aliens primarily from Central America who appear to have no lawful basis for admission.' According to the proclamation, such migration 'has precipitated a crisis and undermines the integrity of our borders' and requires 'immediate action to protect the national interest, and to maintain the effectiveness of the asylum system.' The need to conduct foreign affairs effectively is another reason offered for the proclamation. Citing both constitutional and statutory authority, the President finds that the entry of aliens at the Southwest border without inspection 'would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, and that their entry should be subject to certain restrictions, limitations, and exceptions.'"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bruno, Andorra
2018-11-13
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H-2B Visa and the Statutory Cap: In Brief [April 17, 2018]
"The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) of 1952, as amended, enumerates categories of aliens, known as nonimmigrants, who are admitted to the United States for a temporary period of time and a specific purpose. One of these nonimmigrant visa categories--known as the H-2B visa--is for temporary nonagricultural workers. The H-2B visa allows for the temporary admission of foreign workers to the United States to perform nonagricultural labor or services of a temporary nature if unemployed U.S. workers are not available. Common H-2B occupations include landscape laborer, amusement park worker, and housekeeper. The H-2B program is administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS's) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL's) Employment and Training Administration. DOL's Wage and Hour Division also has certain concurrent enforcement responsibilities. The H-2B program currently operates under regulations issued by DHS in 2008 on H-2B requirements, by DHS and DOL jointly in 2015 on H-2B employment, and by DHS and DOL jointly in 2015 on H-2B wages."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bruno, Andorra
2018-04-17
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Reception and Placement of Refugees in the United States [June 21, 2017]
"The U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), which is managed by the Department of State (DOS), resettles refugees from around the world in the United States. Once a refugee case is approved for U.S. resettlement, the USRAP determines where in the country the refugee(s) will be resettled. This determination is made through DOS's Reception and Placement Program (R&P), which provides initial resettlement services to arriving refugees. R&P initial resettlement assistance is separate from longer-term resettlement assistance provided through the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). Each year, DOS's Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) requests proposals from public and private nonprofit organizations that are interested in providing services and assistance to refugees under the R&P Program. […] The R&P Program is subject to a set of statutory requirements. Regarding the placement process, the ORR director and the agency administering the R&P Program are required to consult regularly with state and local governments and resettlement agencies about the intended distribution of refugees among the states and localities. The agency administering the R&P Program is further required to consider the recommendations of the state in determining where to place refugees within a state. As of May 31, 2017, in FY2017, refugee arrivals have been placed in the District of Columbia and every state except Wyoming. In FY2016, the only states with no refugee placements were Delaware and Hawaii."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bruno, Andorra
2017-06-21
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Iraqi and Afghan Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) [February 8, 2017]
"The SIV [special immigrant vias] programs, in their current forms, are the product of a series of legislative provisions enacted since 2006. These provisions make certain Iraqis and Afghans who have worked as translators or interpreters, or who were employed by, or on behalf of, the U.S. government in Iraq or Afghanistan, eligible for special immigrant visas (SIVs). Special immigrants comprise a category of permanent employment-based admissions under the Immigration and Nationality Act. Upon admission to the United States, special immigrant visa holders become LPRs [lawful permanent residents]. (The SIV programs are separate from the U.S. refugee admissions program.)"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bruno, Andorra
2017-02-08
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Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA): Frequently Asked Questions [September 30, 2014]
"On June 15, 2012, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that certain individuals who were brought to the United States as children and meet other criteria would be considered for relief from removal for two years, subject to renewal, under an initiative known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA. Among the eligibility requirements, an individual must have been under age 16 at the time of his or her entry into the United States; must have been continuously resident in the United States since June 15, 2007; and must not have been in lawful immigration status on June 15, 2012. To request consideration of DACA, an individual must file specified forms with DHS's U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and pay associated fees. USCIS's decision on a DACA request is discretionary. The agency makes determinations on a case-by-case basis. Individuals granted DACA may receive employment authorization. DACA recipients are not granted a lawful immigration status and are not put on a pathway to a lawful immigration status. USCIS began accepting DACA requests on August 15, 2012, and issued its first approvals in September 2012. Prior to that, from June 15, 2012, to August 15, 2012, DHS's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) granted deferred action under the DACA process in some cases. Cumulatively, through June 2014, more than 580,000 DACA requests have been approved. The period of deferred action under the DACA program expires after two years unless it is renewed."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bruno, Andorra
2014-09-30
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Unaccompanied Alien Children: Potential Factors Contributing to Recent Immigration [July 3, 2014]
"Since FY2008, the growth in the number of unaccompanied alien children (UAC) from Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras seeking to enter the United States has increased substantially. Total unaccompanied child apprehensions increased from about 8,000 in FY2008 to 52,000 in the first 8 ½ months of FY2014. Since 2012, children from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras (Central America's 'northern triangle') account for almost all of this increase. Apprehension trends for these three countries are similar and diverge sharply from those for Mexican children. Unaccompanied child migrants' motives for migrating to the United States are often multifaceted and difficult to measure analytically. Four recent out-migration-related factors distinguishing northern triangle Central American countries are high violent crime rates, poor economic conditions fueled by relatively low economic growth rates, high rates of poverty, and the presence of transnational gangs. In 2012, the homicide rate per 100,000 inhabitants stood at 90.4 in Honduras (the highest in the world), 41.2 in El Salvador, and 39.9 in Guatemala. International Monetary Fund reports show economic growth rates in the northern triangle countries in 2013 ranging from 1.6% to 3.5%, relatively low compared with other Central American countries. About 45% of Salvadorans, 55% of Guatemalans, and 67% of Hondurans live in poverty. Surveys in 2013 indicate that almost half of all unaccompanied children experienced serious harm or threats by organized criminal groups or state actors, and one-fifth experienced domestic abuse."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kandel, William; Bruno, Andorra; Meyer, Peter J. . . .
2014-07-03
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Immigration Legislation and Issues in the 113th Congress [November 4, 2014]
"Immigration reform was an active legislative issue in the first session of the 113th Congress. The Senate passed the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act (S. 744), a comprehensive immigration reform bill that includes provisions on border security, interior enforcement, employment eligibility verification and worksite enforcement, legalization of unauthorized aliens, immigrant visas, nonimmigrant visas, and humanitarian admissions. For its part, the House took a different approach to immigration reform. Rather than considering a single comprehensive bill, the House acted on a set of immigration bills that address border security, interior enforcement, employment eligibility verification and worksite enforcement, and nonimmigrant and immigrant visas. House committees reported or ordered to be reported the following immigration bills: Border Security Results Act of 2013 (H.R. 1417); Strengthen and Fortify Enforcement (SAFE) Act (H.R. 2278); Legal Workforce Act (H.R. 1772); Agricultural Guestworker (AG) Act (H.R. 1773); and Supplying Knowledge-based Immigrants and Lifting Levels of STEM Visas (SKILLS Visa) Act (H.R. 2131). […] This report discusses these and other immigration-related issues that received legislative action or have been of significant congressional interest in the 113th Congress. While the report covers S. 744, as passed by the Senate, a more complete treatment of that bill can be found in CRS Report R43097, Comprehensive Immigration Reform in the 113th Congress: Major Provisions in Senate- Passed S. 744. For the most part, DHS appropriations are not covered in this report; FY2014 appropriations are addressed in CRS Report R43147, Department of Homeland Security: FY2014 Appropriations."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Wasem, Ruth Ellen; Siskin, Alison; Lee, Margaret Mikyung . . .
2014-11-04
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Iraqi and Afghan Special Immigrant Visa Programs [September 12, 2014]
"Congress has enacted a series of legislative provisions since 2006 to enable certain Iraqi and Afghan nationals to become U.S. lawful permanent residents (LPRs). These provisions make certain Iraqis and Afghans who have worked as translators or interpreters, or who were employed by, or on behalf of, the U.S. government in Iraq or Afghanistan, eligible for 'special immigrant' visas (SIVs). Special immigrants comprise a category of permanent employment-based admissions under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). While the special immigrant category is unique, it does bear some similarities to other admission categories that are authorized by other sections of the INA, including refugees and Amerasian children. […] This report analyzes the SIV classifications for Iraqis and Afghans within the context of both the larger INA special immigrant category and selected other permanent admissions categories. It discusses the legislative changes to the individual Iraqi and Afghan special immigrant programs since their initial authorization, provides statistics on visa issuances, and considers challenges facing the programs today."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bruno, Andorra
2014-09-12
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Agricultural Guest Workers: Legislative Activity in the 113th Congress [July 23, 2013]
"Foreign temporary workers, also known as guest workers, have a long history of performing agricultural labor in the United States. In the past, agricultural guest worker programs were established in the United States during times of war. During World War I, for example, tens of thousands of Mexican workers performed mainly agricultural labor as part of a temporary worker program. The controversial Bracero program, which began during World War II and lasted until 1964, brought several million Mexican agricultural workers into the United States. Today, the United States imports agricultural guest workers in much smaller numbers as part of a temporary worker program known as the H-2A visa program. The H-2A program, and agricultural guest worker programs more generally, are controversial. Some view them as a necessary source of legal workers and call for their reform and expansion. Others view the H-2A program, in its current form, as exploitative and argue that it must be thoroughly overhauled if it is to be allowed to continue operating. These differing views are reflected in tensions in agricultural and other guest worker programs between providing protections to U.S. and foreign workers on the one hand and making the programs responsive to legitimate employer needs on the other. Over the past 15 years, a variety of legislative proposals have been put forward concerning agricultural guest workers. Some proposals would have reformed the H-2A program, while others would have established new guest worker programs for agricultural workers. Some of these proposals have been introduced in Congress as stand-alone bills, while others have been part of larger comprehensive immigration reform measures. In the 113th Congress, bills that would create new agricultural guest worker programs have been acted on in the House and the Senate."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bruno, Andorra
2013-07-23
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Immigration-Related Worksite Enforcement: Performance Measures [August 7, 2013]
"In 2009, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued new guidance on immigration-related worksite enforcement. Under the guidelines, DHS 'will use all available civil and administrative tools, including civil fines and debarment, to penalize and deter illegal employment.' According to 2010 estimates, there are some 8.0 million unauthorized workers in the U.S. civilian labor force. DHS's U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is responsible for immigration-related worksite enforcement, or enforcement of the prohibitions on unauthorized employment in Section 274A of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The INA Section 274A provisions, sometimes referred to as employer sanctions, make it unlawful for an employer to knowingly hire, recruit or refer for a fee, or continue to employ an alien who is not authorized to be so employed. Today, ICE's worksite enforcement program is focused primarily on cases that involve critical infrastructure facilities and cases involving employers who commit 'egregious violations' of criminal statutes and engage in worker exploitation. [...] Enforcement activity by the Department of Labor (DOL) is also relevant to a discussion of federal efforts to curtail unauthorized employment. DOL, which is responsible for enforcing minimum wage, overtime pay, and related requirements, focuses a significant percentage of its enforcement resources on low-wage industries that employ large numbers of immigrant--and presumably large numbers of unauthorized--workers."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bruno, Andorra
2013-08-07
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Immigration Legislation and Issues for the 113th Congress [November 20, 2013]
"Immigration reform is squarely on the legislative agenda of the 113th Congress. The Senate has passed the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act (S. 744), a comprehensive immigration reform bill that includes provisions on border security, interior enforcement, employment eligibility verification and worksite enforcement, legalization of unauthorized aliens, immigrant visas, nonimmigrant visas, and humanitarian admissions. For its part, the House has taken a different approach to immigration reform. Rather than considering a single comprehensive bill, the House has acted on a set of immigration bills that address border security, interior enforcement, employment eligibility verification and worksite enforcement, and nonimmigrant and immigrant visas. House committees have reported or ordered to be reported the following immigration bills: Border Security Results Act of 2013 (H.R. 1417); Strengthen and Fortify Enforcement (SAFE) Act (H.R. 2278); Legal Workforce Act (H.R. 1772); Agricultural Guestworker (AG) Act (H.R. 1773); and Supplying Knowledge-based Immigrants and Lifting Levels of STEM Visas (SKILLS Visa) Act (H.R. 2131). Other House bills are reportedly under development. In addition to their work on immigration reform legislation, the House and Senate have acted on other immigration-related bills in the 113th Congress. Among these measures, the 113th Congress has passed the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 (P.L. 113-4), which includes provisions on noncitizen victims of domestic abuse or certain other crimes and on victims of human trafficking. Another enacted measure (P.L. 113-42) extends a special immigrant visa program for certain Iraqi nationals who have worked for or on behalf of the United States."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bruno, Andorra; Garcia, Michael John; Kandel, William . . .
2013-11-20
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Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification [January 9, 2014]
From the Summary: "Legislation on electronic employment eligibility verification has been considered in the 113th Congress. The Senate has passed a comprehensive immigration reform bill (S. 744) that includes a related title, and the House Judiciary Committee has ordered to be reported a stand-alone bill (H.R. 1772). In weighing proposals on electronic employment verification, Congress may find it useful to evaluate them in terms of their potential impact on a set of related issues: unauthorized employment; verification system accuracy, efficiency, and capacity; discrimination; employer compliance; privacy; and verification system usability and employer burden."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bruno, Andorra
2014-01-09
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In-Country Refugee Processing: In Brief [May 7, 2015]
"The Obama Administration has established a new refugee program for certain minors in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras with a parent who is lawfully present in the United States. Created in response to the FY2012-FY2014 surge in unaccompanied child arrivals to the United States from these countries, the Administration has described the new Central American Minors (CAM) program as providing an alternative to a dangerous journey to the United States. The CAM program is an in-country refugee processing program, which means that eligible minors will be processed by the U.S. government from within their countries of origin for possible admission to the United States as refugees. Under the program, a parent who is lawfully present in the United States can request a refugee resettlement interview for an unmarried child in El Salvador, Guatemala, or Honduras. The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) defines a refugee, in part, as a foreign national who has experienced, or has a well-founded fear of, persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. Refugees are processed and admitted to the United States from abroad."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bruno, Andorra
2015-05-07
