Senate Immigration Bill Passes Major Hurdle, Headed For Passage

Legislation Continues to Include AGC-Opposed Restrictions on the Construction Industry The Senate debate of the comprehensive immigration bill S. 744 – the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act – enters its third and final week, with the conversation still focused on strengthening the border security provisions before the legalization provisions of the bill could go into effect.  Yesterday, the Senate cleared a procedural motion on a compromise border security amendment with 67 votes. The border security amendment would double the size of the U.S. Border Patrol by adding 20,000 agents and require 700 miles of fencing at the U.S.-Mexico border. It also would deploy unmanned aerial drones and other added resources at the border. The bill is likely to see a vote on final passage later this week and will likely pass.  AGC remains supportive of several major provisions of S. 744, including the use of e-verify for new hires, eliminating the patchwork of local immigration laws, providing new avenues for legal immigration, and creating a legal status for undocumented workers currently in the United States. The bill also prohibits employers from “knowingly” hiring an undocumented worker. One of AGC’s top priorities with the bill remains the proposed new temporary worker program.  As currently drafted, the program places unique restrictions on the construction industry that prevent the industry from fully utilizing the future temporary worker visa program.  The construction industry would be the only industry with a cap on the number of workers that could work in construction-related occupations. The program for construction would have a national cap of 15,000 workers annually. AGC urges you to contact your elected officials on the temporary guest worker program. Please tell your Senators to oppose restrictions on the industry and tell your Representative it is important to not make the same mistakes made by the Senate with regards to the temporary worker program. If piecemeal reform is the path forward in the House, it must include a temporary worker program component. For more information, please contact Jim Young at (202) 547-0133 or youngj@agc.org.