The Washington Post, 05/21/2013 –

“A Senate committee approved a sweeping immigration reform bill Tuesday [May 21]…setting the stage for the full Senate to consider the landmark legislation next month.

“After five days of debate over dozens of amendments, the Judiciary Committee voted 13 to 5 in support of the bill, with three Republicans joining the committee’s 10 Democrats. The legislation emerged with its core provisions largely intact, including new visa programs for high-tech and low-skilled workers and new investments in strengthening border control.

05/15/2013 –

“…If the immigration debate is a football game, it’s a scoreless first quarter right now and it’s time to kick the proverbial field goal and take the policy points in the form of enhanced E-Verify and legislation dealing with high-skilled workers.

“Passing enhanced E-Verify and high-skilled worker legislation doesn’t mean giving up on comprehensive immigration reform. Indeed, passing these pieces of legislation will help make a broader immigration deal possible by establishing trust among the parties involved and putting in place some of the ingredients necessary to any comprehensive immigration overhaul.

Tomorrow, May 22, 2013, the House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on S. 744, the “Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act,” titled “S. 744 and the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986: Lessons Learned or Mistakes Repeated?”  The hearing will begin at 2:00pm ET in 2141 Rayburn House Office Building.

To read the list of witnesses and for the link to the hearing, please click below.

National Journal, 05/16/2013 –

“When the sweeping immigration bill being considered by the Senate Judiciary Committee reaches the Senate floor, no one should be surprised by any arguments that are raised. That’s because opponents are trying them out in committee and learning exactly where other members stand.

“‘The committee’s a great process, because we see where the opponents are, and they’ve thrown a lot at us, and we’ve so far held up pretty well,’ said Sen. Chuck Schumer…after the committee completed its third day of amending the bill…The panel will meet all next week, preparing for late nights of combing through amendments, with the goal of passing the bill before the Memorial Day recess. The bill is expected to reach the full Senate in June.
 

CNN.com, 05/16/2013 –

“After months of intense negotiations, a bipartisan U.S. House group has reached an ‘agreement in principle' on immigration reform, according to Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart…one of the GOP members of the group.

“A Democratic aide…confirmed that all…members signed on and…both Democrats and Republicans ‘will now run the whole package past their respective leadership and colleagues’and aim to formally introduce legislation at the beginning of June.

Associated Press, 05/13/2013 –

“High-tech companies looking to bring more skilled workers to the U.S. pushed…for more concessions in an immigration bill pending in the Senate. Labor unions said…further changes risked chipping away at protections for U.S. workers.

“…At issue are the highly sought-after H-1B visas that allow companies…to bring workers to the U.S. to fill job openings for engineers, computer software experts, and other positions where employers say there's a shortage of U.S. workers. The legislation increases the number of these visas that are available, but also adds in a number of restrictions designed to ensure U.S. workers get a first shot at jobs.

Associated Press, 05/13/2013 –

“President Barack Obama’s political support group is joining with a Republican pro-immigration organization and an effort run by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg to try to boost support for a comprehensive immigration bill.

“Organizing for Action…will co-sponsor a ‘virtual march on Washington’ planned for next week aimed at getting people to use social media platforms to register their support for the immigration legislation.

“Bloomberg’s Partnership for a New American Economy is behind the effort…