FEDERATION FOR AMERICAN IMMIGRATION REFORM

TheGangofEightsBackroomDeals
Asinitiallydrafted,S.744wasloadedwithpetprojectsthatbenefitedthebillsauthors.Thesefew handouts,however,wouldnotbeenoughfortheGangofEighttogetitsbillthroughtheSenate.Instead ofaddingsubstantiveimprovementstothebilltheGangknewwouldgetitpassedsuchasrequiring enforcementmechanismsactuallybeinplacebeforeamnestyingthenations12millionillegalaliens theGangresortedtobackroomdealstobuymoreamnestyvotes. Intheend,togarnersufficientsupporttodragthebillacrossthefinishline,theGangofEightamended itsbillusingthe1,200pageCorkerHoevenamnestyfirst,enforcementlateramendmenttoaddspecial carveoutstoseveralkeySenators.Belowisalistingofmanyofthehandouts,buyouts,andcarveouts thatmadeitintothefinalbill: ChucksLuckoftheIrish.Asintroduced,S.744carvesout10,500visasannuallyforunskilled IrishworkersunderanewE3nonimmigrantvisaprogram.(Sec.4403,p.974) GrahamsMeatPackingPlan.Asintroduced,S.744guaranteesthemeatpackingindustryan additional10%percentofWnonagriculturalvisasontopoftheyearlycapandprovidesthis allocationcanneverbereduced.Themeatpackingindustryisoneofthelargestindustriesin SouthCarolina.(Sec.4703(h),p.1085) LeahyandBennetsSkiBunnies.Asintroduced,S.744makesforeignskiandsnowboard instructorseligibleforthe5yearprofessionalathletevisaratherthanthe10month nonimmigrantvisaprogramforseasonalworkersundercurrentlaw.(Sec.4601,p.1027) MarcoPhonesandCruiseShips.Asintroduced,S.744createsanewnonimmigrantZvisato admitindividualswhopossessspecializedknowledgetoperformmaintenanceonairlinesand cruiseships.(Sec.4606,p.1034)S.744alsocreatesatwoyeargrantprogramforindividuals livingalongtheSouthernborderatgreaterriskofborderviolencetopurchasesatellite telephonesthatcanaccess911andareGPSequipped.(Sec.1107,p.83)TracPhone,aFlorida basedcompany,makesthesephonesandS.744appropriatessuchsumsasmaybenecessary tofundthegrantprogram. MurkowskiandBegichsCrabhuskerKickback.ThiscarveouttosecurethevotesofAlaska SenatorsLisaMurkowski(R)andMarkBegich(D)classifiesseafoodprocessingpositionsin Alaskaasshortageoccupations,thusallowingtheindustrytobringinmorecheapforeign labortodothosejobs.(Sec.4701(d)(4),p.1043)Italsoallowsemployerstobringinnon immigrantsunderasummerprogramtoworkinseafoodprocessingpositions,overturninga bantheObamaAdministrationputinplacelastyeartoprotectforeignexchangestudentsfrom jobstheU.S.governmentdeemsdangerous.(Sec.4408,p.982) 1|F e d e r a t i o n f o r A m e r i c a n I m m i g r a t i o n R e f o r m

TheNorthernExposure.ThiscarveoutforSens.SusanCollins(RME)andJonTester(DMT) eliminatesarequirementthatatleast90%offundingforalawenforcementprogramalong U.S.bordersbedevotedtothesouthwestborder,freeingupmoremoneyforNorthernborder states.(Sec.1104,p.73) SandersSurrender.ThiscarveoutforSen.BernieSanders(IVT)createsaslushYouthJobs FundforFY20142015fundedusing$1.5billionfromtheU.S.Treasury.UntiltheGangofEight addedthekickback,Sen.Sanderswasanoutspokencriticofthebillfortakingjobsawayfrom Americans.Hehassincebeensilent.(TitleV,p.1169) KirksKickback.ThiscarveouttogainSen.MarkKirks(RIL)supportallowsapersonwhohas servedinthemilitaryandreceivedanhonorabledischargeandcertaincombatmedalsto becomeacitizenwithoutmeetingkeynaturalizationcriteriaundercurrentlaw.Thisincludes waivingtherequirementanalienunderstandtheEnglishlanguage,waivingtherequirementthe alienhasknowledgeandunderstandingofthefundamentalsofthehistoryandoftheprinciples andformoftheU.S.government,andwaivingtherequirementanalienisofgoodmoral character.(Sec.2555,p.502) HellersHotels.TuckedawayintheCorkerHoevenamendmentisakickbackforLasVegashotel andcasinochains.Theprovisionpermanentlygives$100,000,000annuallytothetourism industryundertheTravelPromotionFund,posingawinforNevadaSenatorsDeanHellerand HarryReid.Thefundingwassettoexpirein2015,buttheprovisionextendeditindefinitely. (Sec.1102(f),p.66)

HatchsHighTechHijack.TogainSen.OrrinHatchs(RUT)supportfortheGangofEightbill, theJudiciaryCommitteeadoptedanamendmenttogivetechcompaniesgreateraccessto cheapforeignlabor,hijackingjobsfromhardworkingAmericans.ThedealHatchstruckwithSen. SchumerincreasedthenumberofH1Bvisasadmittedtothecountryannually(abovethe alreadyhighincreaseunderS.744),andchangedtheformulathatdetermineshowmanyH1B workersareadmittedinordertoadmitH1Bworkersatafasterpace.(Sec.4101,p.862)In addition,theHatchAmendmentalsoeliminatedtherequirementplacedonallH1Bemployers intheoriginalversionofS.744thattheyattestthattheyhavenotandwillnotdisplaceU.S. workerswithinacertaintimeframe.(Sec.4211,p.914)Italsoeliminatedtherequirementonall H1BemployersintheoriginalversionofS.744thattheyattesttheyhaveofferedthejobtoany U.S.workerwhoappliesandisequallyorbetterqualified.(Sec.4211,p.917) TheHatchHandout.InadditiontotheH1BdealSen.Hatchbrokeredduringcommittee negotiations,Sen.HatchgotanothercarveoutontheSenatefloor.TheGangofEightincluded inthemassiveCorkerHoevenamendmentwaslanguagebySen.Hatchthatwouldpreclude SocialSecuritycreditsforunauthorizedwork.However,likesomanyotherprovisionsinthebill, Hatchsincludesanexceptionthatunderminestherulebyallowinganalientomerelyattest 2|F e d e r a t i o n f o r A m e r i c a n I m m i g r a t i o n R e f o r m

thatheorshewasauthorizedtowork,openingthedoorforfraudandhandouts.(Sec.2107(d), p.218) SchumersSkilledWorkerSellOut.Sen.ChuckSchumer(DNY)obtainedacarveouttoallow publicuniversitiestodisplaceU.S.workerswithH1Bnonimmigrants.(Sec.4211(d),p.918)The dealalsoexemptsnonprofiteducationandresearchinstitutionsfromthehigherfeesand stricterrequirementsimposedonemployersthatheavilyrelyonH1Bworkers.(Sec.4211(f),p. 919) LeahysCelebritySweetener.SenateJudiciaryChairmanPatLeahy(DVT)obtainedacarveout tograntspecialtreatmenttoHollywoodbywaivingfeesforartistOandPvisasifapplications arenotprocessedwithin14days.(Sec.4416,p.995)

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