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LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
As reported in earlier issues of this newsletter, Congress is working on several immigration-related bills and major reform of the immigration system is expected this year. One of the bills being considered most seriously is S.269, a major reform package that is sponsored by Alan K. Simpson (R-WY), the chairman of the Senate's immigration subcommittee. The bill addresses mainly enforcement issues and has been altered several times since its introduction to include provisions from others' bill such as the Clinton administration's omnibus reform bill (S.754) and Senator Feinstein's immigration control bill (S.580). The Senate Immigration Subcommittee's markup of the Simpson bill was released on June 14th and now heads to the Senate Judiciary Committee. Senator Simpson may delay action on the bill until he introduces additional legislation to reduce legal immigration. The two bills would then be considered simultaneously by the Judiciary Committee. 
House Immigration Subcommittee Chairman Lamar Smith has introduced his own legislation that would significantly reduce legal immigration numbers. Overall immigration would be reduced to 535,000 from the current levels of 800,000. The only family visas that would be available would be for spouses, parents and minor children of US citizens and spouses and minor children of permanent residents. An unlimited number of visas would be available to spouses and minor children of citizens, 85,000 would be available to spouses and minor children of permanent residents (down from 125,000+) and 50,000 for parents of citizens (currently unlimited). The Smith bill addresses several other issues such as the H-1B program and employer sanctions. A complete copy of the bill is available at the Siskind and Susser Web Site. The bill was introduced on June 21st and hearings begin on June 29th. 
Earlier in this newsletter, we reported on the Commission on Immigration Reforms recommendations. Several of those recommendations are expected to be incorporated in legislation to come out of the Congress. 
Other bills of note include the following: 
S. 580 - The Feinstein Bill seeks to increase border personnel, limit pubic benefits for non-citizens, stronger employment verification procedures and border crossing fees. 
S. 160 - The Shelby Bill would cap annual immigration at 325,000 and limit family immigration to spouses and minor children of American citizens. The bill would limit employment-based immigration to 50,000 and abolish the DV lottery. 
H.R. 373 - The Stump Bill would ban all immigration for 5 years. 
H.R. 705 - The Gallegly Bill would allow citizenship at birth to be conferred only on children of lawful resident mothers. 
S. 390/H.R. 396 - The Omnibus Counterterrorism Bill would expand deportation grounds for alien terrorists and make it more difficult for “terrorist” organizations to raise funds and conduct humanitarian activities. 
H.R. 668 - The Criminal Alien Deportation Improvements Act would expand judicial deportation, expand the definition of “crime of moral turpitude,” and eliminate waivers of deportation for those sentenced to five years or more.