The Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration and Modernization Act is still a red hot topic in the world of immigration news. This bill has been affected by several recent developments since first being voted out of the Senate judiciary committee. Some of the most important of these developments being the different amendments which could affect Senate bill S.744. The most recent and possibly most influential of these amendments is known as the Corker-Hoeven amendment. the Corker-Hoeven amendment was passed with a vote of 67-27. A new version of S.744 has been released which includes the effects of the Corker-Hoeven amendment or Senate Amendment 1183. This article will touch on some of the more prominent effects to S.744.
Economic Effects
Senate amendment 1183 is posited to possess some significant and beneficial economic effects. In a correspondence released by the CBO and the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) this amendment will, “reduce budget deficits by $197 billion over the 2014-2023 period and by about $700 billion over the 2024-2033 period”. Also included in the summation were figures on how immigration related activities would be affected. It is thought that this amendment would allow for approximately $22 billion between 2013-2023 and $20-25 billion between 2024-2033 periods.
Impact to S.744
Although the economic benefits of Senate Amendment 1183 are substantial, there is also controversy. The Corker-Hoeven amendment will increase funding for border security an act which is hypothesized to, “reduce the net flow of unauthorized residents to the country” when compared to earlier versions of S.744. The actual figures however are that $43 billion will be allocated to border defense which is $38 billion dollars greater than in previous versions of S.744. Included in official Senate correspondence,
“Senate Amendment 1183 would give the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) the authority to adjust fees established by the bill and to impose additional surcharges for immigrant and nonimmigrant petitions to offset the amounts appropriated in the legislation for enforcement.”
This ability has not been met with full support by key organizations in the immigration law world.
Illegal Immigration Under S.744
The topic of what effects amendment 1183 will have on illegal immigration are just as pertinent as the discussion concerning the effects that amendment 1183 will have on the federal budget. Illegal immigration is currently classified under two forms. The first refers to those who enter the country through illegal means. The second refers to those who enter the country with authorization to stay for a set period of time and then overstay. According to CBO, the current form of S.744 is thought to possess significant ability to reduce both forms of illegal immigration by both strengthening border security and as well as protocols against individuals whose permitted period has expired.
Conclusion
There are mixed-levels of support for Senate amendment 1183. Although there are obvious key benefits to the deficit and federal budget, questions regarding the bolstering of border security are arising.
As S.744 continues to develop, fairfaximmigrationfirm.com will continue to provide updates and analysis. Thank you for reading.
