<p style="text-indent:0px; line-height:12px;"><span style="font-weight:bold;line-height:130%">Washington, DC</span><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">By ANUK Staff<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">04.17.13</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><img src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacyWriterImages/hl_immigration_reform_april_2013_BODY.jpg" alt="Cropped Images April 17th 2013" />A bipartisan group of eight senators have unveiled unprecedented legislation that could remove the threat of deportation for the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the U.S. and provide a path to citizenship.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">The proposed bill stipulates that undocumented immigrants who came to the United States before December 31, 2011, and had stayed in the country could apply for "provisional" legal status as soon as six months after the bill is signed by the president.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Immigrants would have to wait a decade or more for full citizenship and the accompanying federal benefits, while the government works on securing U.S. borders and enforcement, according to Reuters.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">"It's nothing but a starting point," Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa told reporters on Tuesday. He is the senior Republican on the Judiciary Committee, the panel that will manage the immigration bill.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Democratic Senator Charles Schumer of New York and Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona, two sponsors of the bill, were expected to meet with President Barack Obama on Tuesday to review their work and its prospects.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">The proposal would allow expanded access for American businesses to both low- and high-skilled labor, attempting to keep organized labor happy with provisions designed to keep companies from hiring cheap foreign labor or filling jobs with immigrants when U.S. workers are available.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Employers would be required to use the E-Verify system. Every non-citizen would be required to show their work authorization card or green card, and would be able to secure their Social Security numbers in the E-Verify system so they could not be used by another individual.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">The bill increases the number of visas available for educated workers filling specialized jobs, though it imposes new pay requirements designed to keep the hiring from lowering wages for U.S. technology workers.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">After 6 months of implementation, the threat of deportation could end for most illegal immigrants. They would be allowed to work legally in the United States once they pay an initial $500 penalty and any back taxes, and if they can show they have not been convicted of a serious crime in the United States.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">After 10 years the immigrants could apply for permanent resident status, through an expanded merit-based immigration system. Those applications could be processed whether or not the government achieved a 90 percent success rate in securing border hot spots. After the initial waiting period, it could take an additional three years to gain U.S. citizenship.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Industry leaders are expected to attend the Senate Committee on the Judiciary hearing entitled “Hearing on Comprehensive Immigration Reform Legislation” originally scheduled for Wednesday, postponed until Friday, April 19, 2013 at 10:00 a.m., in Room 216 of the Hart Senate Office Building.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href=" http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/16/us-usa-immigration-congress-idUSBRE93F05520130416 " target="_new">Immigration Update </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
