Speech #1100050960

We brought the bill up only last night. If it was written in formal bill language. it would be one of the longest pieces of legislation ever considered in the Senate. maybe the longest piece of legislation since I have been here. other than perhaps an omnibus bill. but not a legislative bill. We need to be thinking about the basic principles that are important to immigration reform. That is what I wish to continue discussing. The Republican leader. MITCH MCCONNELL. said: One things for sure. if this bill gives them any preferential treatment towards citizenship over people who came into the country in tile proper way. that~s a nonstarter. I have made a number of points about some of the things that actually are in the bill that provide for a person who came into our country preferential treatment toward the process of being a citizen that are not given to somebody dutifully waiting outside the country to be called up when their time comes. 1 want to point that out in a number of ways. For example. only illegal persons would be eligible for these Z visas. visas that would allow them to live and work here forever. as long as they are renewed every 4 years. That visa would not be available to anyone currently living in the United States who came here to work legally or someone who did not overstay their visa but went home when they were supposed to. So if you came here for a work visa and your work visa is 1 year. and you aie complying with the law. and you dont want to go home at the end of your year. you still have to go home. But if a person broke into the country illegally and they dont want to go home. they are given the Z visa. they get to stay. and they get to apply for a green card that leads to citizenship. Even if they entered the country last December 31. getting past our National Guard. the new fences and the Border Patrol. and got into the country as late as last December. a single person with no skills. that person is eligible for the Z visa and could be here forever. A Z visa plan is a better plan than the plan we had last year. 1 have to say. but it still has some real problems with it. Namely. it still leads to citizenship. My colleagues say: Well. nothing is perfect.