Speech #1100050496

I am not talking about stopping nuclear family from being together. I am talking about a reform of the current system that focuses on the extended family. This chart shows three approaches to immigration by nations similar to the United States. Fiftyeight percent of the people who come to our country are family based58 percent are family based. and only 22 percent are skill based. We have a policy that gives 16percent of green cards for humanitarian reasons and those are unconnected to the skills they might bring. And 4percent of green cards are given through a visa lottery. I may talk about that issue later. This bill wisely eliminates the lottery. Look at Canada. They had 60 percent merit based immigrants:. that is. they asked those people: Are you educated? Do you have language skills? Can you speak in English or French? What kind of skills do you have that Canada needs? What prospects do you have as an immigrant to be successful in Canada. to be a productive citizen who will contribute to Canada. make Canada a stronger and better nation? That is what Canada does. Australia does the same. They have 62 percent skill. merit based immigration. I reject the idea that it is some sort of an attack on the family to do that. Senator REID and others have said that this bill which will be introducedit has not yet been introducedis a good starting point.