APRIL 2006

I. LEGISLATIVE/REGULATORY UPDATE

Senate Judiciary Committee Immigration Bill Stalls in Senate

In the midst of protest and demonstrations throughout the country, the U. S. Senate Judiciary Committee recently approved a modified version of HR 4437. This bill, which was recently approved by the U. S. House of Representatives, proposes to increase penalties for hiring undocumented workers and requires employers to electronically verify the work eligibility of all their employees within a six-year period. The Senate Judiciary Committee adopted an amendment that softened HR 4437 by taking away proposed criminal penalties for charitable organizations, churches and individuals providing aid to undocumented immigrants. The amended bill also left out a House-approved provision that would have made the “unlawful presence” of an undocumented alien in the United States a felony crime. (Currently, it is a misdemeanor.) In addition, the modified bill includes provisions for temporary guest workers. However, the compromise bill failed to receive enough broad support on the Senate floor to move forward. Congressional representatives from both parties have promised to push forward following the Easter break.

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