House GOP Introduces Immigration Bill, But Will it Offer Solutions to The Majority of Immigrants?

Washington D.C. - Attempting to get the jump on immigration reform, GOP House members have introduced a bill that would expand STEM visas and expedite green cards. But what solutions are they offering to the hundreds of thousands of young immigrants or migrant workers currently living in the states?

Following their stunning defeat in the election, the GOP is taking steps to convince the country’s immigrants that they care about their plight by introducing the STEM Jobs Act –STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and math. Under this act, the number of visas offered to immigrants with college degrees would be expanded to 55,000 per year.

While this sounds like a good deal, the additional visas offered come from eliminating the Diversity Lottery, which allows immigrants from countries with low-immigration rates to get a green cards by random chance with no education requirements; many of the people who benefit from this visa program come from Africa.

This is similar to the bill introduced by the GOP in September which was voted down by House Democrats. In an effort to sweeten the deal, a provision has been added to the bill that would allow children and spouses of immigrants who are awaiting family-based green cards to stay in the U.S. while a decision is being made on their request.

Although the STEM Act is likely to pass the Republican majority House, it most likely won’t pass the Democrat controlled Senate.

Even though the STEM Act sounds like a good proposal, it fails to address the real problem of our immigration system; how do we help the hundreds of thousands of older and younger immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for most of their lives and face the prospect of being deported to a country they are unfamiliar with?

The DREAM Act was one solution, but it has been met with much resistance by GOP lawmakers because they say it offers amnesty. In June, President Obama announced deferred action for young immigrants, but it is temporary measure to help young immigrants.

Another way to avoid deportation and get on the path to legal residency is first to consult with an immigration attorney. With their assistance, an immigrant will be able to determine if they are eligible for a green card or a visa, which is the first step in the naturalization process.