Greg Siskind on Immigration Law and Policy

PHEW!

Well, our H-1B cases are now in the hands of Fedex. Happily, we have a good relationship with Wendell, the Fedex guy who made a special trip to our office at 9 pm and carted off our applications. Now we wait. Fedex never did get back with me to explain whether they could handle the load, particularly in Vermont where presumably they don't have the same kind of infrastructure in place as California. But they are Fedex, after all. The emails have piled up this week so I now begin catching up.

I'm actually hoping the cap is hit in the first day. The cap will no doubt be hit quickly this year, but being hit in one day will provide some drama on which the media will hopefully focus. I've written a newspaper op-ed piece that should publish on the day the cap is hit that will lay out the case for expanding the H-1B program. Not positive of the details yet, but will link from here when it runs.

MY FIRST PODCAST

This is the premiere of the Visalaw Podcast. I'll be discussing immigration reform in Congress and giving my analysis on proposed legislation. I'm new to this form of communicating so please forgive me if I don't sound so polished. Be kind in the comments.

WHITE HOUSE WEIGHS IN ON CIR

We have known for a few weeks that back channel meetings have been happening between the White House and congressional Republicans. The goal has ostensibly been to come to agreement on a uniform position. Now the White House has gone public with some of the details. The AP and the

Los Angeles Times report.

LOU DOBBS, YOU'VE GOT SOME COMPETITION

The Onion tells us about the human cost of Mexicans. If this weren't from the hilarious folks at the Onion, you might just think you were watching our friends at CNN.

MY SECTION BY SECTION SUMMARY OF THE STRIVE ACT

Don't feel like reading the 700 page STRIVE Act, the House's comprehensive immigration reform bill introduced late last week? I've done the work for you! Here is my section by section summary of STRIVE including highlighting to show differences from S.2611, the Senate bill that passed last year and which is expected to largely mirror the bill soon to be introduced in that chamber. And if anyone spots any problems with  this overview, please let me know. Some of the provisions were not drafted in the most clear fashion and I exercised my best judgment trying to interpret what the drafters had in mind.

Download section_by_section_summary_of_the_strive_act_of_2007.pdf

GREG COMES OUT OF HIDING

Between giving five speeches last week (two out of town at the ABA Techshow in Chicago), trying to keep up with the H-1B tidal wave, getting our weekly 30+ page newsletter out and then trying to summarize the 700 page STRIVE Act, it's a wonder my kids even recognize me. I'm a little bleary-eyed right now, but seem to have survived. In my next post which I'm about to load, you'll see the fruits of my labor on summarizing the legislation. All I know is I need the H-1B cap to be hit and Congress to take its Easter recess just to get caught up on my sleep.

WRITE YOUR OWN PUNCHLINE

DHS to locate headquarters in a loony bin? Tis true.

TRIGGERS AND TOUCHBACKS

These are two terms you're about to become familiar with if you closely follow the immigration debate. The House bill was introduced this morning by Congressman Gutierrez (D-IL) and Flake (R-AZ) and though I have not gotten the full text, I've gotten a summary and have a bit of an idea of what to expect. The bill resembles the Senate bill that passed last year in many respects. Two parts of the bill are specifically designed to appease the anti-amnesty folks (at least the reasonable ones). The legalization aspects of the bill will not kick in until benchmarks are reached on the enforcement provisions (the "trigger"). This will address the criticism that we should not be offering benefits to undocumented immigrants until we get control of the border and immigration enforcement. The other important appeasement provision is the "touchback" that will require legalization applicants to leave the US and then reenter the US. The idea is that the departure and reentry will be instantaneous, but somehow the immigrant will be "cleansed" by the process. Sort of like baptism. More to follow when I see the text. Hey Hill insiders - email me a copy of the text and I'll get you my section-by-section summary before everyone else.

HOUSE CIR BILL COMING THURSDAY

Representatives Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) will introduce their comprehensive immigration reform bill this Thursday in the US House of Representatives. The bills is to be called The STRIVE ACTof 2007 (Security Through Regularized Immigration and a Vibrant Economy Act of 2007). I'll be preparing my section by section summary as soon as I get the text.

THE COMING H-1B DISASTER?

Sources are telling me that procedures at the Vermont and California Service Centers could spell trouble when the regional service centers get tens of thousands - some estimate 100,000 - H-1B applications on April 2nd. Courier services apparently are not allowed to deliver packages directly to the RSCs and USCIS picks up applications with their own truck and hauls them back to the RSC for processing. Apparently this process alone seriously delays the counting and many people are likely to continue applying even after USCIS has well in excess of the acceptable number of applications. I've contacted Federal Express' press folks to see if they have any advisories and am awaiting information to pass on to you.