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Skriven 2007-05-22 23:31:06 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (070522) for Tue, 2007 May 22
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Fact Sheet: Immigration Fact Check: Responding to Key Myths
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
May 22, 2007

Fact Sheet: Immigration Fact Check: Responding to Key Myths

ÿÿWhite House News

ÿÿÿÿÿ In Focus: Immigration

1. MYTH: Ending the current green card backlog would result in 900,000 new
residents per year on top of current numbers.
  þ FACT: The current proposal aims to end the green card backlog in eight
    years. However, this does not mean that 3.5 to 4 million people over
    the current number will be admitted into the country. The backlog will
    be cleared in two ways:
 1. 240,000 green cards are being shifted from other priorities within the
    existing green card pool. This is important _ it does not represent an
    increase in the number of green cards given, it is simply a
    reallocation of green cards that are authorized for issuance within the
    current system.
 1. Separately, the number of green cards will be temporarily increased by
    200,000 for each of the eight years after the enactment of the bill.
    This is an increase, but it does not mean 200,000 applicants plus their
    spouses and children. It is 200,000 new people total.
  þ FACT: About 15 percent of family-based green card recipients are
    already residing in the U.S. on temporary visas or illegally. Thus,
    only about 170,000 additional individuals per year are entering the
    country.

2. MYTH: The border security and employer enforcement triggers can be
waived. It has been asserted that the bill contains the following language:
"b) Subsection (a) of this section shall apply only if the President
certifies within 180 days of enactment that the border security and other
measures described in such subsection can be completed within 18 months of
enactment, subject to the necessary appropriations."
  þ FACT: This is false. This language is not in the bill currently, but
    was in an earlier draft. Instead, the bill contains a sense of Congress
    that all triggers can be met in 18 months. All triggers must be met
    before the guest worker program or the Z visa program could begin.

3. MYTH: Z visa applicants (current undocumented) do not have to pay fines.
  þ FACT: Z visa applicants will have to pay a $1,000 fine for heads of
    households and an additional $500 fine for each dependent (spouses and
    children). There will also be a processing fee of up to $1,500 and a
    $500 state impact assistance fee. The $1,000 is not the cost of the
    visa, but rather a fine for having broken the law. The processing fee
    will take care of the costs of the visa. The fines and fees are not the
    only hurdle _ applicants must be employed, pass background checks, pay
    processing fees, and agree to meet accelerated English and civics
    requirements to get their Z visas.
  þ FACT: A Z visa holder wishing to remain in the country under their Z
    visa indefinitely would still have to renew their visa every four
    years. Renewing the Z visa means more processing fees (again, up to
    $1,500 each time). The financial liability for Z visa holders starts to
    add up very quickly if holders choose to remain in this status instead
    of pursuing Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) status.

4. MYTH:DHS only has only one day to complete background checks.
  þ FACT: Obtaining Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) status is a multi-step
    process that includes thorough background checks with no guarantees. It
    can be broken down into three parts: probationary period, Z status, and
    LPR.

    1. Probationary Period. The undocumented worker comes out of the
    shadows to acknowledge they have broken the law. In order to obtain
    probationary status, they must show they are employed and pass a
    preliminary background check. There is a provision in the bill that
    says DHS has one day to find a >disqualifying factor,_ but that is not
    the end of the process. That is a very short term way of ensuring that
    if someone comes out of the shadows and admits their illegality, they
    will not be deported while the process is ongoing and can continue
    working while the full background check is completed. At any time if
    something pops up, the applicant becomes deportable, and will never
    have a chance at Z status and certainly not LPR status.

    2. Z Status. If they have passed the hurdles above, the undocumented
    worker is considered for Z status. At this stage they must pay their
    $1,000 fine ($1,000 is just for a head of household _ there is an
    additional fine of $500 for each dependent) and processing fees; are
    subject to updated background checks to make sure they have not
    committed crimes while in probationary status; agree to meet English
    and civics standards as a condition of renewal; and show employment.
    There is no one day >Treatment of applications_ in this process. One
    must complete or agree to all of the above before they are able to
    achieve Z status.

    3. LPR Status. Here, there is another $4,000 fine and more processing
    fees. More background checks are also conducted in order to make sure
    that the applicant has kept his or her record clean. The applicant will
    have had to have stayed employed and met the English and civics
    requirements. They will have to make an application from their home
    country, go to the back of the line, and demonstrate merit under the
    new green card points system. Then, and only then, will the
    undocumented worker obtain a green card.

5. MYTH: A Rasmussen poll shows Americans support an enforcement-only
approach.
  þ FACT: The plan proposed in Rasmussen's poll does not include many of
    the components included in the actual plan. Rasmussen asked
    respondents: >A different proposal has been made that also includes a
    fence along the Mexican border, more border patrol agents, strict
    penalties on anyone who hires illegal aliens. This proposal, however,
    would also offer illegal aliens a path to citizenship if they pay back
    taxes and other fines. Would you favor or oppose this proposal?_
  þ FACT: The process is much more onerous than the text of Rasmussen's
    question suggests. In order to have an opportunity for citizenship,
    undocumented workers will have to pay a total of $5,000 in fines, pass
    multiple background checks, complete accelerated English and civics
    requirements, go back home to apply in their home country, demonstrate
    merit in the new merit-based green card system, AND go to the back of
    the line behind those who applied lawfully.
  þ FACT: A recent bi-partisan poll conducted by The Tarrance Group (R) and
    Lake Research (D) that did include more components of the plan found 75
    percent of American voters said they would favor a plan that: provides
    resources to greatly increase border security; imposes much tougher
    penalties on employers who hire illegal workers; allows additional
    foreign workers to come to the U.S. to work for a temporary period;
    creates a system in which illegal immigrants could come forward and
    register, pay a fine, and receive a temporary work permit; and provides
    these temporary workers with a multi-year path to earned citizenship,
    if they get to the end of the line and meet certain requirements like
    living crime free, learning English, and paying taxes. Only 17 percent
    opposed this plan.

6. MYTH: The bill will impose a huge new tax on businesses that follow the
law.
  þ FACT: Companies are held liable if their contractors and subcontractors
    hire undocumented workers. However, the Department of Homeland Security
    will create systems to help ensure these burdens can be met by
    employers who want to follow the law through the Employment Eligibility
    Verification System (EEVS) and other procedures.
  þ FACT: This bill seeks to help employers verify the status of workers.
    Enforcement of the paperwork fines will be targeted against those
    employers trying to avoid the law and hire illegal workers. The law
    includes a provision for the Secretary of Homeland Security to send a
    pre-penalty notice where he believes there may be a violation, and the
    employer can avoid a penalty by showing mitigating circumstances (e.g.,
    good faith compliance).
  þ FACT: This bill does not seek to put the sole responsibility for legal
    hiring practices on the government OR the private sector. The bill is
    designed to have participation from the business community so the
    government can easily determine which employers are knowingly violating
    the law.

7. MYTH: The bill does not crack down on employers who violate the law.
  þ FACT: In the bill, fines for hiring an illegal worker are $5,000
    maximum per illegal worker for the first offense, $10,000 maximum per
    illegal worker for the second, and $25,000 maximum per illegal worker
    for the third.

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