This amendment would require the following before Registered Provisional Immigrants (RPIs) can obtain green cards:
• More than doubling the Border Patrol with an additional 20,000 agents along the southern border
• $38 billion more “border security” measures than in the original bill, including $4.5 billion in specific technology and equipment operationalized along the southern border, id=”mce_marker”40 million worth of blackhawk helicopters for Border Patrol’s Air and Marine division
• At least 700 miles of fencing completed along the southern border
• Mandatory electronic visa entry/exit system implemented at all air and sea ports of entry to detect those visa overstayers
• Mandatory employment-verification system used by all employers
• Initiating removal proceedings for at least 90% of visa overstayers
The amendment would also prevent immigrants from getting Social Security credits that they have already paid into the system using a different social security number; and restrict the Department of Health and Human Services ability to grant waivers to states to allow them to use Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) dollars to provide benefits to people in RPI status.
Rather than being considered as a separate amendment to the bill, the Corker-Hoeven amendment instead will be rolled into a substitute bill that includes all the provisions of the original immigration reform bill S. 744, as well as all of the amendments that have been added to the bill throughout the floor amendment process.
It is important for all of us to call or email our senators and urge them to reject this new amendment and instead vote YES on the original text of S.744 as it stands without this amendment.
E-mail your senator TODAY!
(Adapted from a Jesuit Conference Action Alert, June 24, 2013)
Call your Senator at (202) 224-3121 TODAY, June 24th using the sample script below:
“I am from (City, State) and I support immigration reform. As a member of the human rights community (as well as a teacher/business person/medical professional/parent/student/etc), I urge the Senator to OPPOSE the Corker-Hoeven amendment, by objecting to the substitution and calling for consideration of this amendment in regular order.”
