Sunday, September 16, 2012

Parties lock horns over legislation to boost high-skilled immigration

The fight over high-skilled immigration legislation is coming to a head again next week after Republicans and Democrats failed to reach an agreement on a bill by Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas).
Smith plans to introduce a bill early next week that would eliminate the diversity green card program and reallocate up to 55,000 green cards a year to foreign-born graduates with doctorates in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines from U.S. universities. Any remaining visas would be available to graduates with master's degrees.
The two parties see eye to eye on most aspects of Smith's bill, but the elimination of the diversity visa program is drawing fire from House Democrats. The House is set to vote on Smith's measure next week.
Smith and other Republicans have been critical of the diversity visa program, arguing that its random selection process is plagued by fraud and could open the door for terrorists to enter the country.
The program makes 55,000 visas available to people who have met certain eligibility requirements and come from countries with low rates of immigration to the U.S. The visas are allocated by random selection.

Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/hillicon-valley/technology/249699-parties-lock-horns-over-legislation-to-boost-high-skilled-immigration

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