301 amendments have been submitted to the Senate Judiciary Committee and more than half of those are from the Republicans. They want the Judiciary Committee to change the immigration reform bill and the committee already debated on 32 amendments and adopted 21 amendments that dealt with border security. The committee will open a debate today and meet again on Thursday. Sen. Ted Cruz (R) of Texas, has filed an amendment that would not permit the undocumented immigrants to apply for US citizenship. His amendment states that the people who willfully crossed the borders and who are living in the country illegally would not become eligible for US citizenship. Lawmakers and immigration activists want the country to legalize undocumented immigrants and grant them US citizenship. Likewise, people want new immigration laws that would permit undocumented immigrants to obtain citizenship and so this amendment of Sen. Ted Cruz may not clear the Judiciary.
Another amendment filed by Cruz, would prevent undocumented immigrants from applying for legal status until the US Department of Homeland Security secures the borders of the country. Likewise, he also wants the country to triple the number of border security agents, implement a biometric screening system at US ports of entry and achieve 100 percent effectiveness within three years. According to an amendment filed by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R) of Utah, undocumented immigrants would be required to submit DNA samples and offer genetic signature before applying for the temporary “Registered Provisional Immigrant” status that the Senate immigration reform bill would create.
An amendment from Sen. Mike Lee (R) of Utah, states that the country must only legalize the undocumented immigrants who entered into America before 2010. According to the Senate immigration reform bill, undocumented immigrants who entered into America before 31st December, 2011, would be permitted to apply for lawful status. Nevertheless, immigration activists, want a legislation that would legalize all the undocumented immigrants as the people who entered into the country after the above mentioned date, would continue to live in shadows and create problems. Senator Lee also wants the country to issue more visas to guest workers.
Sen. Jeff Sessions (R) of Alabama has filed an amendment that would not issue visas to guest workers if the national unemployment rate is above 5 percent. The Senate immigration reform bill states that the undocumented immigrants who apply for provisional legal status would not be deported. But the amendment field by Sessions would deport undocumented immigrants who have filed applications for legal status. His amendment would also prevent the people who have been deported from applying for legal status. The amendment filed by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R) of South Carolina, would grant the Secretary of Homeland Security, authority to cancel the visas of people who have been granted asylum or refugee status in the United States, if they travel the countries from which they fled.