7/28/2019 Short Summary of Immigration Reform

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1 Background on Immigration Reform Proposal| Prepared by Office of U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham(UPDATED: April 15, 2013)

The provisions on border security have already been called the, toughest border-security requirements ever and the introduction of this bill recognizes a primary tenetof its success depends on securing the sovereignty of the United States.

As a nation we have always welcomed newcomers to the United States and willcontinue to do so. But in order to qualify for that honor not the right of eventualcitizenship they must respect our laws. We deserve that much from those who seek tocall themselves Americans.

As a nation, we have earned the right to make our borders safe, control the flow of legalimmigration, and shut off illegal immigration. Every part of the immigration bill ispremised on the right and need of the United States to protect its border and maintainits sovereignty.

Even though we dramatically increased the resources sent to secure the border, illegalimmigration has not stopped. Our legislation creates a multi-layered approach tohalting illegal immigration.

o Dedicates $4.5 billion to implement additional border security measures.

o Creates a metric to ensure the Border Patrol has a 90 percent chance ofdetaining or turning away any illegal border crosser in high-risk areas.

o Mandates the Border Patrol has persistent surveillance in all high-risk sectors.

o Ensures we know who enters and leaves our country by requiringimplementation of an Electronic Exit System at airports and seaports.

o Creates a Southern Border Security Plan and Southern Border Fencing Plan.

o If necessary, creates a Border Commission led by local officials to makeadditional recommendations on border security and provides an additional $2billion to implement the Commissions recommendations.

7/28/2019 Short Summary of Immigration Reform

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2 Background on Immigration Reform Proposal| Prepared by Office of U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham(UPDATED: April 15, 2013)

Halting illegal immigration today and in the future does not stop at the border. Ourlegislation:

o Creates a mandatory, nationwide E-VERIFY system to prevent any illegalimmigrant in the future from obtaining employment. (The State of SouthCarolina already requires businesses to use E-VERIFY.)

o Increases the penalties for employers who knowingly hire illegal labor Our legal immigration system also should meet the needs of our modern

economy. This legislation transitions our current system away from familyreunification to a merit-based/skills system.

o Eliminates the Diversity Lotteryo Awards green cards through a merit based point system that awards

characteristics such as education, employment, and the ability to speak English.

o Increases available visas to highly educated science, technology, engineeringand math graduates.

o Provides a practical avenue for business to obtain temporary foreign labor inindustries such as agriculture and tourism when a job is listed and no Americanaccepts the position.

Most importantly, only when the borders are certified secured will the 11 million illegalimmigrants be able to begin the process of attaining citizenship.

The path to citizenship is tough but fair. Citizenship will have to be earned and will notdisadvantage anyone waiting in line and playing by the rules. The process includes:

o Required to undergo criminal background checks and if passed;o Obtain probationary status as a Registered Provisional Immigrant (RPI)o Forced to pay $2,000 in fines for illegal entry into the United States;o Forced to pay any back taxes;o Required to remain employed and pay taxes on future income they earn;o Ineligible for welfare programs and Obamas health care plan for 10 years;o Required to undergo an assimilation test and demonstrate knowledge of

American history;o Forced to become proficient in English;o Forced to go to the back of the immigration line; ando Process will take a MINIMUM of 13 years to complete before gaining

citizenship.