The last month has seen many new immigration bills introduced into Congress. Some of these bills look like viable steps towards improving the immigration policy of the United States – others do not invite such positive words.
Two recently introduced bills are the Legal Workforce Act and the IDEA Act of 2011.
The Legal Workforce Act would require all U.S. companies to use the E-verify system to verify all hires. The bill fails to address how American companies are suppose to pay for the added cost of using E-verify, how requiring E-verify is any more useful than the current I-9 verification process, or how it will protect U.S. citizens who are not able to immediately accomplish an E-verify check.
The Immigration Driving Entrepreneurship in America (IDEA) Act of 2011 seeks to improve the ability of foreign national graduates of U.S. universities to remain in the United States and secure a route to permanent residency. It also seeks to make it easier for foreign national entrepreneurs to set up companies in the United States.