Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee begins the second day of “marking up” S.744 (The Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act). With it comes another important chance for you to make your voice heard on key amendments, both positive and negative.
Last Thursday, the committee opened the markup by discussing 32 amendments related to Title I, adopting two amendments that improve the treatment of children at the border. Today, the committee jumps to Title IV, temporary worker programs. Some amendments, such as Blumenthal 17, will seek to improve protections for guest workers. Blumenthal 17 grants whistleblower protections to guest workers who are often particularly vulnerable to employer abuse.
As the markup continues, so will the opportunity to raise your voice. When the committee considers Title II, we will be speaking out for an accessible pathway to citizenship and improved family unity. The mark-up of Title III will touch on refugee provisions. I’ll pass along the scheduled mark-up of these titles when we learn more from the Judiciary Committee.
To help you track the mark-up process, LIRS has compiled an analysis of priority amendments relating to our five principles for immigration reform. We will soon be offering more detailed analysis of those amendments relating to refugees, family unity, and immigration detention.
In the meantime, I invite you to call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 to support amendments that would strengthen S. 744’s positive reforms and oppose those that would roll back protections. You can also visit our Action Center and lift your voice as a welcoming person of faith, and keep tabs on the latest immigration reform developments by reading our Monday updates from Hill experts.