October 2010 Immigration Blog
NEWS ITEM ONE: NOTICE TO EMPLOYERS-- USCIS Continues to Accept FY 2011 H-1B Petitions.
NEWS ITEM TWO: AFTER STALLED DEFENSE BILL VOTE, THE DREAM ACT RE-GAINS MOMENTUM
COMMENTARY
1. NEWS ITEM ONE: NOTICE TO EMPLOYERS
USCIS Continues to Accept FY 2011 H-1B Petitions. As of September 17, 2010, approximately 38,300 H-1B cap-subject petitions were receipted. Additionally, USCIS has receipted 14,000 H-1B petitions for aliens with advanced degrees.
2. NEWS ITEM TWO: AFTER STALLED DEFENSE BILL VOTE, THE DREAM ACT REGAINS MOMENTUM
On Wednesday, the day after the defense authorization bill failed to clear a motion for cloture in the U.S. Senate and stalled efforts to attach the immigration bill and “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal as amendments, Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin reintroduced the DREAM Act. The move clears the way for the bill, which would offer undocumented youth raised in the U.S. an opportunity to gain citizenship if they commit to two years in the military or college. In order to qualify for the DREAM Act, young people must have been brought to the U.S. before the age of 16, have lived in the country for at least five years, hold a high school diploma and have a clean criminal record.
Durbin’s latest move clears the way for the DREAM Act to be reintroduced as a stand-alone bill, bypassing the judiciary committee.
For further information on the Dream Act, see: http://dreamact.info/
What can you do if you would like to advocate for the Dream Act?
1. Make phone calls to your Senators. In California:
Senator Barbara Boxer
(202) 224-3553
Email/Web Form: boxer.senate.gov/en/contact/
Senator Dianne Feinstein
Phone: (202) 224-3841
Email/Web Form: http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactUs.EmailMe
2. Another option to contact Congress is to go to Reform Immigration for America website http://reformimmigrationforamerica.org/.
You can donate $30 to sponsor calls.
3. You can also make phone calls to other Senate offices.
Dial: 1-888-254-5087 (if you get a message that the number has been "disconnected", wait a while and it will be back - that has occurred during particularly high call times) and ask for the following people and leave a message with their office asking the Senator to vote YES for the DREAM Act.
Sen. Hatch of Utah
Sen. Bunning of Kentucky
Sen. Bennet of Utah
Sen. Gregg of New Hampshire
Sen. Bailey-Hutchison of Texas
Sen. McCain of Arizona
Sen. Voinovich of Ohio
Sen. Snowe of Maine
Sen. Collins of Maine
Sen. LeMeiux of Florida
Sen. Brownback of Kansas
Sen. Roberts of Kansas
Sen. Hagan of North Carolina
Sen. Pryor of Arkansas
Sen. Landrieu of Louisiana
Sen. Conrad of North Dakota
Sen. Dorgan of North Dakota
Sen. Nelson of Florida
Sen. Baucus of Montana
Sen. Tester of Montana
Sen. Feinstein of California
At this stage of the game, one of the main factors that Senators will consider are the numbers of contacts made in favor and in opposition to the DREAM Act.
4. Last, but not least, please encourage everyone you know to contact Congress and urge support for the DREAM Act.
