View Full Version : Immigration bill before senate
Here is a synopsis of the bill currently before Senate following the presidential address on immigration a few days back. As one who came here legally and at great expense both in buying a business and in legal and filing fees, I cannot express how I and other legal visa holders feel. Having done this the right way, seemingly I would have been better off doing it the wrong way and would have been rewarded for so doing with a green card and citizenship.
Senate bill:
_Allows illegal immigrants who have been in the country five years or more to remain, continue working and eventually become legal permanent residents and citizens after paying fines, back taxes and learning English.
_Requires illegal immigrants in the U.S. between two and five years to go to a point of entry at the border and file an application to return.
_Requires those in the country less than two years to leave.
_Illegal immigrants convicted of a felony or three misdemeanors would be deported no matter how long they have been in the U.S.
_Creates a special guest worker program for an estimated 1.5 million immigrant farm workers, who could also earn legal permanent residency.
_Provides 200,000 new temporary 'guest worker' visas a year.
_Authorizes 370 miles of new triple-layered fencing plus 500 miles of vehicle barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border.
_Authorizes hiring an additional 1,000 Border Patrol agents this year, for a total additional 3,000 agents this year.
_Adds another 14,000 Border Patrol agents by 2011 to the current force of 11,300 agents.
_Authorizes additional detention facilities for apprehended illegal immigrants.
_Requires employers and subcontractors to use an electronic system within 18 months to verify new hires are legal. Increases maximum fines to employers for hiring illegal workers to $20,000 for each worker and imposes jail time for repeat offenders.
_Delays by 17 months, until June 1, 2009, a requirement now in law that Americans re-entering the U.S. after cruises or short visits to Canada and Mexico show a passport or high-tech identification card.
I share your thoughts on this one Julie [msnmad]
its funny how us limeys in the real west are being jogged into friendship with our european neighbours , but the yanks, they just aint gonna forget santa anna and the alamo....[sporty]
The Alamo? They sure aint forgot the Boston Tea Party. As someone who is fighting for the right to have her American educated son stay with her when he turns 21, I have to ask where is the sense of fairness in all this?? I personally cant find any.
chrizzy100
19-05-2006, 06:10
Maybe I should go into politics after all....[msnsmile2][msncool]
My husband doesnt usually post on forums, but was incensed when he heard this and felt compelled to put pen to paper. As you can see, he is p......ed!!
WE have invested at least $200000 in this country, employ at least 5 people, directly and indirectly, have a thriving and growing business, we speak English, conform to all US laws and what is our reward. WE are constantly scrutinized and examined and made to jump through expensive legal hoops merely to get an extension to stay for a few more years. Our children are dumped like so much unwanted rubbish outside territorial waters merely for reaching the age of 21. WE are made to pay full taxes and social security in spite of the fact we are barred from claiming any benefits. WE cannot claim homestead exemption and pay far more property tax than permanent residents. WE have to accept the fact that we will be ejected the minute we cease to work.
On the other hand the illegal immigrant who has been breaking American law and paying no tax for at least 5 years will apparently be punished with a green card. Not for him the prospect of having to pay university fees five times higher like I will for my son. Not for him deportation the minute he gives up work. Medicare, social security scholarships for his kids, sure just apply. Speeding/parking tickets- just tear them up.
When it comes to looking stupid, trying to LEGALLY migrate to the USA on a visa is on a par with “extended warranty, how can I lose!”
Terry
Well said. Why don't you fwd. the above to George Bush!!!!!
Sandra
steph_goodrum
19-05-2006, 12:30
"Illegal immigrants convicted of a felony or three misdemeanors would be deported no matter how long they have been in the U.S."
So of course they will all be queuing up at the border point to admit to their misdemeanours won't they?
It's something however I've said should be included on Visas issued to anyone who applies for the right to live and work in the UK, any conviction and your visa is cancelled without the police having to apply for deportation to be considered and all the human rights activists who say they will be tortured if they are sent back to an unsafe country should start working with the immigrants when their visa is issued and make it clear to them if they break the law they will be sent back regardless, might be a better incentive to try and respect our countries laws.
sheenallan
19-05-2006, 21:43
Hi Terry,
I for one feel very strongly about this,I know it will properbly not make the slightest difference but why don,t you get a petition going for all the people who are trying to make it out there,and for all the home owners who would just like to retire to there American home when the time comes,i for one would sign it and i bet a few thousand others would.
Sheena.
russell148
19-05-2006, 22:28
Speaking as a family that would love to move to Florida tommorrow we find there whole system unfair considering we are there brothers in arms
Russell
flyrr100
20-05-2006, 15:09
This Bill will never pass in it's current state. We have a 'silent majority' of voters out there who are fundamentally opposed to letting ten's of thousands of hispanics into the country.
Remember we have an election in two years. And the last year of a president's term is taken up with campaigning for the next guy. So anything that'll upset the vast majority wont stand a chance of becoming law.
What you need to start doing is writing to the media. USA Today, CNN, Fox News, Washington Times, MSNBC. Let them know that it's not only hispanics who want to move here.
Also Hillary Clinton is threatening to run. Personally I don't think the 'silent majority" is ready for Hillary to run the country. So the hispanics will be up againsed the Republicans again. And they are alot tougher on immigration than the Democrats.
I'd adopt you all if it would help!
Good luck. It's really worth it when it finally comes together.
From one very patriotic (ex Brit) American.
Do you think that we could have our country back (that we loaned for 230 years) and instead of the UK being the 51st state, the USA could be another region like, the South East or North West?
That way, all of us who want to move to the US could!
kaysvacationvilla
20-05-2006, 16:51
I don't think think this will go through Julie or at least I certainly hope not.
bellaepovera
21-05-2006, 16:13
Well I personally am not sure what to think as a good point is if the democrats win the next election, the laws will be even less so Terry you will be even more P==ed then now! I totally agree with all of the British folks not being able to come in, and the hispanics sneaking in and now even protesting they should be able to stay! Its bizarre. I hope this law does not pass and or any other one but its who needs the votes more in the next election is what it will come down too.
No Shoes
21-05-2006, 21:25
I hope no one minds but having monitored this forum for many years this topic caused me to register. Its not that I want to live there but feel the current situation is unjust.
Anyway I have sent a link to this topic to the British blog at the Orlando Sentinel - one small step etc.....
[msneek]
thornton
21-05-2006, 21:31
Instead of this bill, perhaps Jed Bush should push his brother to introduce the Retirement Bill then those of us with houses out there and who can support ourselves can go out there and put much nneded money into the Florida economy instead of the illegals who only take it out.
Jill
Retirement Bill introduced about six or seven years ago would have done just that but failed to get through Senate. It did have the support of Florida who would have beneftted from it, but from few other states.
bellaepovera
22-05-2006, 13:34
Jebs wife is hispanic so remember that.
As you can imagine there is a substantial Hispanic following already in the US (notwithstanding Jeb's wife)so there will be support for this bill which, as we all appreciate, goes against 'Good old Common Sense' but this is Politics and this situation has been allowed to build without proper thought and control since Ronald Reagan granted the last amnesty and wiped the slate clean.
The UK also has its own immigration (legal and otherwise) problems too but even though the numbers are much lower the problems are similar in many ways. It has reached a level that in some parts of the country support for the BNP (British National Party) has been such that their candidates have actually won seats at local elections. The British people are now looking for action from Tony Blair, if not, they will want to see what the opposition parties are proposing!
With regard to the US, in my opinion and I am sure many will agree that Mr and Mrs average America has absolutely no idea as to how stringent the Visa rules are in general or just what the Dept of State puts the USA's "Special Friends and Allies" through, even though they will be investing thousands of dollars, giving employment to many US citizens and having an economic impact on the area in which they choose to work and live, apart from the local and Federal taxes they will pay.
This topic does need a much wider forum and the injustice exposed for what it is. Local newspapers or even the few nationals could be a start but it really needs TV to bring these anomalies to the attention of the greater American public, at least those who care.
IPK
Robert5988
23-05-2006, 02:13
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Allows illegal immigrants who have been in the country five years or more to remain[/quote]
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Requires illegal immigrants in the U.S. between two and five years to go to a point of entry at the border and file an application to return[/quote]
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Requires those in the country less than two years to leave[/quote]
I wonder just how Uncle Sam will determine how long the illegal immigrant has been in the USA?
Presumably he didn't register when he illegally crossed the border!!
Julie,
I note your comments with regard to another area where non-immigrant visa holders are penalised, I do feel that Homestead Exception should be available to those individuals who legally live and work in the US and, furthermore, the enormous increases in property taxes witnessed over the past 12 months should not have to borne by the aforementioned sector of non-immigrant visa holders (E's,L's and H visas) (the max 3% per year with the balance payable upon sale is much fairer and puts this sector on a par with Florida residents. Whilst I have some sympathy with 'Snowbirds' and rental property owners I feel the case for non-immigrant visa holders is much stronger. I have copied below an article from The Wall Street Journal (Edited for brevity but still lengthy) which demonstrates just what can be achieved, our case is much stronger but who out there knows!
"In late March, hundreds of Florida homeowners jammed the chambers of county commissioners in Fort Pierce, Fla., to protest rising property taxes. Ed McIntosh, a 75-year-old retiree, showed up with a foot-tall stack of complaints from homeowners, 623 letters in all.He read a batch of them aloud, one tale after another of seasonal residents juggling rising insurance costs, hurricane-repair bills and escalating property taxes, which have more than doubled in five years in parts of the state. Such protests have become commonplace in Florida as the state's snowbirds -- winter residents, who are mostly retirees from the Northeast, Midwest and Canada -- fight back against a tax system they believe is unfair and onerous. Mr. McIntosh, a retired Ford Motor Co. finance manager who lives in Beulah, Mich., spends four months a year along the Atlantic coast in Jensen Beach. He complains that seasonal residents are "being discriminated against...We're carrying the state on our backs."
All across the country, homeowners are complaining about runaway property taxes. In many places, sharp increases in home values are to blame. But Florida's snowbirds are angry about something else -- an unusual dual-bracket tax system. Florida allows municipalities to set the taxable value of properties at different levels for permanent and seasonal residents. There have been cases of snowbirds paying property taxes 10 times as high as those of permanent residents living nearby.
Not surprisingly, many full-time Florida residents, who are shielded by law from big property-tax hikes, don't see it that way. Kenneth Wilkinson, a property appraiser from Fort Myers who pushed for the two-tier system, says anyone who owns a second home in Florida should bear higher property taxes because "they created the problem" of rising real-estate values by bidding up prices and by increasing the need for local services.
Florida's two-tier system is rooted partly in a "homestead" exemption that dates back many years. The exemption currently provides permanent residents of the state with an automatic $25,000 reduction in the assessed value of their primary homes. In addition, an amendment to the state constitution that went into effect in 1995, called Save Our Homes, caps the annual increase in assessed property values and taxes at 3% or the rate of inflation, whichever is lower. That too applies only to the primary homes of permanent residents. Anyone who owns a home in Florida can become a permanent resident, no matter how much time the homeowner spends in state. A homeowner needs only to submit an affidavit stating his Florida home is his permanent residence. But many snowbirds are unwilling, because switching permanent residence would mean giving up tax breaks or other benefits they get from their home state or nation. For Florida's permanent residents, the property-tax savings have been substantial and are growing. Last year, 28% of the value of Florida's residential real estate, or $362.2 billion in value, was shielded from property taxes, according to Florida's Department of Revenue. That cut the average property-tax bill on the primary homes of state residents by $1,600, the state said. Property
florida4sun
23-05-2006, 19:15
It is easy to prove this from utility bills, school records for family members, bank a/cs etc etc.
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Robert5988
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Allows illegal immigrants who have been in the country five years or more to remain[/quote]
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Requires illegal immigrants in the U.S. between two and five years to go to a point of entry at the border and file an application to return[/quote]
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Requires those in the country less than two years to leave[/quote]
I wonder just how Uncle Sam will determine how long the illegal immigrant has been in the USA?
Presumably he didn't register when he illegally crossed the border!!
[/quote]
flyrr100
23-05-2006, 21:43
The 'Save Our Home' ammendment of the Florida Constitution, also known as Ammendment 10 caps how much the assesed value of homesteaded property may increase in a given year.
The assesed value may increase either:
* 3% annually (based on the assesed value for the prior year); or
* the percentage change of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the preceding year, whichever is less.
When buying a property you must be aware that your property will be re-assessed and your taxes will be based on the new assessed value.
A tax that would affect any foreign investors. That would include most villa owners on this board. Is the law that requires the Title Companies that close the sales of property in Florida to withold 10% of the sale price and forward this to the IRS. This is because many foreign investors have sold their properties and not paid the required taxes. There are a few exeptions to this rule. If you plan on selling a property in Florida, and are not a legal resident, you are encoraged to consult with a tax specialist before closing. This 10% can be adjusted after the seller submits the appropriate tax forms to the IRS before April 15th the following year.
Federal and Florida State tax law is a minefield. As a licensed Florida Real Estate Agent I have a limited knowlege, but my tax specialist takes care of my taxes.
Robert5988
24-05-2006, 03:14
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:The 'Save Our Home' ammendment of the Florida Constitution, also known as Ammendment 10 caps how much the assesed value of homesteaded property may increase in a given year.
The assesed value may increase either:
* 3% annually (based on the assesed value for the prior year); or
* the percentage change of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the preceding year, whichever is less.
When buying a property you must be aware that your property will be re-assessed and your taxes will be based on the new assessed value.
A tax that would affect any foreign investors. That would include most villa owners on this board. Is the law that requires the Title Companies that close the sales of property in Florida to withold 10% of the sale price and forward this to the IRS. This is because many foreign investors have sold their properties and not paid the required taxes. There are a few exeptions to this rule. If you plan on selling a property in Florida, and are not a legal resident, you are encoraged to consult with a tax specialist before closing. This 10% can be adjusted after the seller submits the appropriate tax forms to the IRS before April 15th the following year.
Federal and Florida State tax law is a minefield. As a licensed Florida Real Estate Agent I have a limited knowlege, but my tax specialist takes care of my taxes.[/quote]
My understanding(from a Real Estate broker and a tax lawyer) was the 10% of sale price withheld was primarily to cover any liability for Capital Gains Tax.
flyrr100
24-05-2006, 03:47
You are correct. It's because many foreign owners sold their properties and didn't submit a tax return to declare and pay the Capital Gains Taxes owed.
The way it's put in my 'Tax for Dummies' book is as follows:
Another federal Government regulation that all licencees need to be aware of concerns the purchase of real property in the US from foreign sellers. To prevent foreign sellers from avoiding payment of taxes due on the same of real property, the IRS requires that buyers withold 10% of the gross sale price ect.........................
I do agree that all owners should be able to take advantage of the Homstead Act and the Save our Homes ammendment.
Looks like Kay was right and they have thrown the bit that would have afforded all illegals permanent residence out. Looks like we are back with the guest worker programme.
Senate rejected a California Democrat's plan to allow the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the country to remain, work and eventually become U.S. citizens, preserving a fragile bipartisan coalition needed to pass the bill.
Several lawmakers who voted Tuesday against the proposal offered by Sen. Dianne Feinstein said they did so reluctantly, but out of necessity to ensure survival of the broader immigration bill. That legislation is expected to win Senate passage Wednesday or Thursday.
"This legislation is on the edge of the ledge as it is," said Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, one of the Republicans supporting a delicate compromise that has kept the bill alive - letting two-thirds of illegal immigrants stay but making the other third leave.
Feinstein's amendment, defeated 61-to-37, would have supplanted the compromise that allows illegal immigrants here five years or more to stay and work six years and seek legal residency after paying back taxes and fines and showing they were learning English.
Those in the country two to five years under the compromise would have to go to a point of entry, exit and file an application to return as a guest worker. Those here less than two years must leave the country, but could apply from their native country to return as a guest worker and wait in line to get a visa.