NEWSLETTER
Congressional efforts to overhaul U.S. immigration law began early
this year. I recently examined seven immigration bills introduced
in January alone. The potential jolt on agricultureís
seasonal labor force is foreboding.
H.R. 560 would increase Border Patrol strength to 8,000, add 250
INS investigators, and increase the number of U.S. Wage Hour Officers
by 250 positions for assignment to areas ìwith high concentrations
of undocumented aliens.î The bill would also require yet
another new counterfeit-resistant alien identification card.
H.R. 339 would also bolster the Border Patrol.
H.R. 560 would limit federal financial assistance to local governments
refusing to cooperate in arrest and deportation of unlawful aliens;
begin discussions with Canada and Mexico on smuggling prevention;
restrict AFDC, SSI, food stamps, the crediting of social security
quarters of coverage, and federal housing assistance to lawful
permanent residents and U.S. citizens; and require a nationwide
employer educational program.
H.R. 756 would provide for machine-readable social security cards
for both citizens and lawful permanent residents and ìenhancedî
penalties for employers who knowingly employ smuggled aliens.
This bill would raise the number of Border Patrol Agents to 10,000,
require installation of more physical barriers at the border,
deport aliens caught three or more times illegally entering the
U.S. to locations over 300 miles beyond the U.S. border, prohibit
(like H.R. 341) direct federal financial or social insurance benefits,
except emergency medical care, for unlawful immigrants, and collect
a border crossing fee no greater than current fees charged those
entering the U.S. by air. Fees would help supply financial help
to state and local law enforcement agencies having ìcooperative
arrangementsî with the INS.
H.R. 502 would require the Social Security Administration to work
with the INS in establishing a program under which each American
employer, by toll-free telephone, would be required to transmit
the social security number and name of each new employee within
72 hours after the employee begins work, for instantaneous notification
ìthat there is or is not a discrepancy concerning the information.î
The program would be made available first to employers in California,
Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, and Texas. Steps would
be required of the employee to resolve the discrepancy through
a local social security office or a toll-free number.
And S. 160 would impose a moratorium on immigration by aliens
other than refugees, certain priority and skilled workers, and
immediate relatives of U.S. citizens and permanent resident aliens,
until September 30, 1999. The bill would also cap the number
of refugee admissions at 50,000 per year during the proposed moratorium.
Agricultural groups are seeking to influence immigration legislation,
and may propose a ìSupplementary Foreign Worker Programî
for agricultural employers, including farm labor contractors,
as a more workable alternative to the H2-A temporary foreign agricultural
worker program included in 1986 immigration reform.