Stop DREAMing and Start ACHIEVING

[SanJoaquinSooner]

The pubs' Achieve Act - alternative to the donks' Dream Act

ACHIEVE Act proposal being floated by some Senate Republicans.

It appears similar to the conservative alternative to the Dream Act that Sen. Marco Rubio worked on last summer (before President Obama issued his executive order, effectively tabling the issue until after the election).

Essentially, the proposal involves several tiers: W-1 visa status would allow an immigrant to attend college or serve in the military (they have six years to get a degree). After doing so, they would be eligible to apply for a four-year nonimmigrant work visa (also can be used for graduate degrees.)

Next, applicants would be eligible to apply for a permanent visa (no welfare benefits.) Finally, after a set number of years, citizenship “could follow…”

Below are a few of the details being floated to be eligible for the W-1 visa:

- “Applicant must have lived in the U.S. for five year’s prior to the Act’s enactment”;

- Must have entered the country before age 14

- Must have good moral character

- “Applicant must not have committed a felony, must not have committed more than one misdemeanor with a jail term of more than 30 days, must not have committed a crime of moral turpitude, and must not have a final order of removal pending”‘

- Must have knowledge of the English language, U.S. history, “and of principles of U.S. government”

- Applicant must be 28 or younger at time of application (or 32 if they have a bachelor’s degree from a U.S. college);

- Must pay a $525 fee

- Must submit to a medical exam and a background check, submit biometric and biographic data, and register with the Selective Service.

My take: Children who grew up in the U.S. but are undocumented, become — not just a legal issue — but also (as Rubio has said) a humanitarian one.

Many conservatives, of course, opposed the DREAM Act because it creates a special pathway to citizenship, allowing illegal immigrants to get in line ahead of other immigrants who are following the rules, and potentially creating a problem of chain migration.

The ACHIEVE Act seems to resolve this problem by granting undocumented children nonimmigrant visas so that they can go to school and work in the U.S., and, after a decade, or so, puts them on the regular pathway towards permanent residence (and potentially, citizenship.)


http://dailycaller.com/2012/11/15/details-about-the-gops-alternate-to-the-dream-act-emerge/

[okie52]

Knowledge of the English language?

Impressive.

[Midtowner]

Looks good to me so long as the Bachelor's degree doesn't come from some BS online for-profit college.

[pphilfran]

Sounds fair...

Tracking them and their progress will be a nightmare...

[Midtowner]

Sounds fair...

Tracking them and their progress will be a nightmare...

Not really, under the current act, we already do a terrible job of tracking student visas. There's no reason that can't continue.

[okie52]

Yeah, they're really setting the bar high for these kids.

After at least 5 years of being in the US and being
educated in US grade schools and high schools ...we are going to require them to have "knowledge of the English language, US history, and principles of US government."

No felonies. Must not have more than one misdemeanor with a 30 day jail term.

Really tough on them.

[pphilfran]

It is better than the alternative...

Now let's see what is done about the border and E Verify....

[okie52]

I'd rather have them "living in the shadows".

[pphilfran]

I have been thinking about building an even bigger and badder catapult...

[okie52]

Do you need the prototype? I've had it mothballed for a couple of years now.

[pphilfran]

Do you need the prototype? I've had it mothballed for a couple of years now.

Nope...design is in my head...

[SanJoaquinSooner]

Sounds fair...

Tracking them and their progress will be a nightmare...


This reminds me of Newt Gingrich's comment about how good Visa and Mastercard are at tracking cardholder behavior and how incompetent our gov't is at tracking. He suggested hiring the credit card companies to issue and do the tracking of gov't issued visas.

[kevpks]

Yeah, they're really setting the bar high for these kids.

...we are going to require them to have "knowledge of the English language, US history, and principles of US government."


Really tough on them.

As an English professor, I can attest that many American college freshmen do not meet these criteria.

[SanJoaquinSooner]

Okie, I understand your opposition, but what's with the snarky English comment? Neither non-immigrant nor immigrant visas typically require knowledge of English. Naturalization does, but not residency. You should be happy that the standard is included.

[Soonerjeepman]

educated in US grade schools and high schools ...we are going to require them to have " US history, and principles of US government."



ummm....we don't teach US History or government in ele school anymore..well not where I'm at. Math and Reading only... and what is "knowledge"...vs an active participation and learning of..?...

[Soonerjeepman]

Actually the NUMBER 1 priority is to CLOSE the frickin boarder FIRST, then worry about who's here.

[soonercruiser]

Looks good to me so long as the Bachelor's degree doesn't come from some BS online for-profit college.

Someone is scarred by newspaper stories!
:stung:

[soonercruiser]

Okie, I understand your opposition, but what's with the snarky English comment? Neither non-immigrant nor immigrant visas typically require knowledge of English. Naturalization does, but not residency. You should be happy that the standard is included.

Maybe we're tired of seeing immigrants fly the Mezican flag above the U.S. flag?
:beaten:

[okie52]

As an English professor, I can attest that many American college freshmen do not meet these criteria.

How do you define knowledge? The understanding that there is an English language, that the US has a history and that we have some principles?

[okie52]

Okie, I understand your opposition, but what's with the snarky English comment? Neither non-immigrant nor immigrant visas typically require knowledge of English. Naturalization does, but not residency. You should be happy that the standard is included.

What standard is that?

[okie52]

ummm....we don't teach US History or government in ele school anymore..well not where I'm at. Math and Reading only... and what is "knowledge"...vs an active participation and learning of..?...

Do we teach English?

[FaninAma]

Yeah, they're really setting the bar high for these kids.

After at least 5 years of being in the US and being
educated in US grade schools and high schools ...we are going to require them to have "knowledge of the English language, US history, and principles of US government."

No felonies. Must not have more than one misdemeanor with a 30 day jail term.

Really tough on them.

If we could apply the same standards to the electorate the GOP would be majority party for the next 100 years.

[okie52]

Okie, I understand your opposition, but what's with the snarky English comment? Neither non-immigrant nor immigrant visas typically require knowledge of English. Naturalization does, but not residency. You should be happy that the standard is included.

Juan- you are right- I was thinking about citizenship rather than visas so this plan is actually quite an improvent.

I fully expect the pubs to go with something like this. Under the circumstances I will probably be happy with it if real border security is mandated.

[kevpks]

How do you define knowledge? The understanding that there is an English language, that the US has a history and that we have some principles?

Being aware of something is a type of knowledge. I had this definition in mind: "the fact or condition of knowing something with familiarity gained through experience or association (2) : acquaintance with or understanding of a science, art, or technique"

I'm sure most people have an awareness that language and history exist. I am telling you that 50% of US high school students can't find the state of New York on a map. We don't emphasize civics or history and colleges are left to do the work that high schools used to do in that area for those students who actually go to college.

http://www.gse.harvard.edu/news_events/ed/2007/winter/features/geography.html

[SanJoaquinSooner]

What standard is that?

some level of proficiency in English, I presume.

[okie52]

Being aware of something is a type of knowledge. I had this definition in mind: "the fact or condition of knowing something with familiarity gained through experience or association (2) : acquaintance with or understanding of a science, art, or technique"

I'm sure most people have an awareness that language and history exist. I am telling you that 50% of US high school students can't find the state of New York on a map. We don't emphasize civics or history and colleges are left to do the work that high schools used to do in that area for those students who actually go to college.

http://www.gse.harvard.edu/news_events/ed/2007/winter/features/geography.html

that's a shame. 42 years ago when I was a freshman English was considered a flunk out course at OU. I was amazed at how many struggled with it even back then. One professor I had would give an F automatically if he found a comma splice in a paper.

[SanJoaquinSooner]

that's a shame. 42 years ago when I was a freshman English was considered a flunk out course at OU. I was amazed at how many struggled with it even back then. One professor I had would give an F automatically if he found a comma splice in a paper.

I bet that wasn't Wendy Berlowitz.

[SanJoaquinSooner]

Juan- you are right- I was thinking about citizenship rather than visas so this plan is actually quite an improvent.

I fully expect the pubs to go with something like this. Under the circumstances I will probably be happy with it if real border security is mandated.

Here's more details on the visa structure:

eligible non-legal immigrants would have to get a college degree of some sort or serve for four years in the military. They would then get a four-year work visa. After that, they would be able to apply for a permanent visa. Eligible young adults would have had to be 14 or younger when they arrived in this country, and be no older than 28 (or in some circumstances) 32. The details of the Achieve Act right now:

W-1 Status: Those with a W-1 nonimmigrant visa would attend school to earn a bachelor’s, associate’s, vocational/technical, or advanced degree, or serve in the U.S. military for 4 years, while here on a W-1 nonimmigrant visa. A W-1 visa holder would have 6 years to get a degree; individuals in school could work while earning the degree.

To be eligible:

Applicant must have lived in the United States for five years prior to the Act’s enactment;

Applicant must have entered the country before the age of 14;

Applicant must have good moral character;

Applicant must not have committed a felony, must not have committed more than one misdemeanor with ajail term of more than 30 days, must not have committed a crime of moral turpitude, and must not have a final order of removal pending;

Applicant must have knowledge of the English language, of American history, and of principles of U.S. government;

Applicant must be 28 or younger at the time of application (unless applicant is under 32 and possesses a bachelor’s degree from a U.S. college at the time of application);

Applicants pay a $525 application fee;

Applicants complete a medical exam, sign up for U.S. Selective Service, and submit biometric and biographic data as part of a background check.

To maintain W-1 visa status, visa holders:

Must check in every six months with DHS, and be compliant with program requirements;

Must not access public welfare benefits;

Must not access federal student loans, work study, or other benefits or services under the Higher Education Act;

Do not have access to a green card while here on the W-1 visa.

W-2 Status: After completing all W-1 education/military service requirements, a recipient can obtain a W-2 visa, which is a four-year nonimmigrant work visa (also allowed, study toward a master’s degree or higher).

Criteria for obtaining W-2 status:

Recipient must have earned a bachelor’s, associate’s, or vocational/technical degree in the U.S. while here on the W-1 visa or have served four years in the U.S. Armed Forces;

Pay a $525 application fee;

Continue to meet W-1 criteria (no criminal record, check in with DHS, etc.).

W-3 Status: After completing four years of work while holding a W-2 visa, a recipient can then apply for a non-conditional (permanent) nonimmigrant (no special pathway to citizenship) visa.

Criteria/conditions:

Must have complied with all requirements/eligibility standards for W-1 and W-2 status;

No eligibility for public welfare benefits;

W-3 status renewable every four years;
No new green cards are added in the Act, but a W-3 visa recipient could take advantage of opportunities in current law to obtain one; for example, if a W-3 visa holder were to marry a U.S. citizen, that alien, already in W-3 status and now married to a U.S. citizen, would be eligible for a green card (legal permanent resident status). Citizenship could follow after the requisite number of years required in green card status (and processing usually takes around a year after that).

[okie52]

I bet that wasn't Wendy Berlowitz.

Good one Juan. ****, that's going back a ways.

Her husband was an older fraternity brother of mine....saw a bale of the good stuff in his bathtub when I was a freshman.

[SanJoaquinSooner]

Good one Juan. ****, that's going back a ways.

Her husband was an older fraternity brother of mine....saw a bale of the good stuff in his bathtub when I was a freshman.

Never figured Jim Berlowitz for a Greek.

[okie52]

Never figured Jim Berlowitz for a Greek.

He was at least 5-6 years older than me so I'm sure it was before he "found himself". I barely spoke to him. I went to his house with older members and they told me he was a " brother".

He was an English prof, too, if I remember correctly although I never had him.

[kevpks]

Stop DREAMing and Start ACHIEVING...and start driving apparently.

http://news.yahoo.com/illinois-may-grant-drivers-licenses-illegal-immigrants-001637595.html

I voted BHO as some of you know but this one leaves me scratching my head a bit.