Senate bill would legalize 11 million

With rallies taking place throughout New York as well as nationwide in support of immigration reform, the 18-member Senate Judiciary Committee approved the legalization of nearly 11 million immigrants and sent the legislation to the full Senate for a vote.
The legislation would pave the way to giving 11 million immigrants legal rights under the condition that they adhere to certain provisions including maintaining jobs and paying taxes. In addition, the committee voted to implement a guest worker program where 400,000 immigrants per year would receive work visas and eventually become eligible to be legal citizens.
The Senate Judiciary Committee passed the legislation by a 12 to six margin with four Republicans and all eight Democrats on the committee voting in favor of the legislation.
“Today’s markup at the Senate Judiciary Committee shows that the forces of common sense and fairness have triumphed over the right-wing, fear-driven attitude toward immigration,” said Congressman Joseph Crowley, who represents one of the biggest areas where immigrants reside in Jackson Heights.
“Thirty-two members of the House joined me in sending a letter to the Majority Leader of the Senate, calling for fair reform that includes a guest worker plan and a path to citizenship. I’m pleased our concerns are shared by friends in the Senate,” Crowley said.
Although many different community groups and politicians have voiced their support for immigration reform, in both major parties, some conservative groups believe that this is not the right direction to head in.
Congressman Peter King from Long Island who is the House Homeland Security Chairman has publicly voiced his opposition to this reform saying that the reform looks like granting amnesty to those in the country illegally and could lead to major problems in the future.
The full-Senate is expected to examine the proposed legislation on Tuesday, and it is still unclear what changes they will add into the legislation.
The new proposed legislation comes in response to a bill that the House passed last December which would make illegal aliens criminals.
While the debate continues, New York groups are continuing to voice the support for this legislation. Following on the heels of an immigrants rights town hall meeting in Jackson Heights last Saturday, a solidarity march organized by the International Immigrants Foundation will take place on Saturday, April 1, starting at Tillary Street and proceeding across the Brooklyn Bridge to 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan. Edward Juarez, who founded the International Immigrants Foundation 33 years ago, said that he hopes upwards of 100,000 people would attend the rally.
“It is an event to show what New York can do working together and we invite all people and organizations that are in support of legalization of immigrants to participate,” Juarez said.