Arizona Representative Raúl M. Grijalva introduced his comprehensive immigration plan (CIR ASAP) this week. Grijalva co-chairs the Congressional Border Caucus.
Grijalva and his co-chair Representative Vela said, “We’re tired of hearing this is a question of triple-layer border fences and militarizing our neighborhoods for our own good. I ask my colleagues whether they’d want their own children to pass teams of armed soldiers on their way to school every day for the next decade. They should consider what they’re doing to our border communities and start negotiating fairly instead of treating this as a military exercise.”
In parts of Arizona, children who are Mexican citizens have been brought across the border on a daily basis to attend U.S. public schools.
Grijalva said that Republicans are focused only on enforcement, and “the Democratic Party doesn’t feel that way. Republicans have to stop holding their breath and making unrealistic demands.”
Side-by-Side Policy Comparison
Border Surge
S. 744: Requires DHS to add at least 19,200 Border Patrol agents and mandates a total of 700 miles of fencing.
CIR ASAP: Directs Secretary of Homeland Security to develop and submit to Congress a National Strategy for Border Security, increase the number of Customs and Border Protection Officers by not fewer than 5,000 and does not require additional fencing.
Border Surge
S. 744: Requires DHS to add at least 19,200 Border Patrol agents and mandates a total of 700 miles of fencing.
CIR ASAP: Directs Secretary of Homeland Security to develop and submit to Congress a National Strategy for Border Security. Increase the number of Customs and Border Protection Officers by not fewer than 5,000 and does not require additional fencing.
Legalization path eligibility
S.744: Immigrants who entered the United States before December 31, 2011 and have been physically present in the U.S. since that time will be eligible to apply for Registered Provisional Immigrant (RPI) status, leaving out millions of people.
CIR ASAP:Immigrants who can establish presence in the U.S. on the day of introduction will be eligible for conditional immigrant visa.
Pathway to Citizenship
S. 744: RPI status would be valid for six years and after 10 years, and only if all family and employment backlogs are cleared and the border security triggers are met, these individuals will be able to apply for legal permanent residency (LPR). After 3 years of being a resident, they may apply for naturalization, making the total path to citizenship a 13-year wait.
CIR ASAP: Those who qualify would receive a conditional nonimmigrant visa which is valid for six years and will be able to naturalize under current law (up to 5 years), making the total path to citizenship about an 11-year wait.
Environmental Impacts
S. 744: Allows Homeland Security officials to access all federal lands in order to capture drug traffickers, human smugglers, and other unlawful actors attempting to cross through federally protected lands. Waives important environmental laws and regulations within 100 miles of the U.S. border.
CIR ASAP: Maintains current laws and prioritizes mitigating adverse impacts to federal, tribal, state, local and private lands, waters, wildlife and habitats. Restricts border security infrastructure and activity.
Port of Entry Infrastructure
S. 744: Provides for the establishment of a grant program to construct transportation and infrastructure improvements at southern and northern border ports of entry to facilitate safe, secure, and efficient cross-border movement of people, vehicles, and cargo. Adds 3,500 Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers.
CIR ASAP: Appropriates $1,000,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2018 to make improvements to existing ports of entry in the United States to improve border security and for other purposes. Increase Agriculture Specialists by 1, 200 and Border Security Support Personnel at the port of entry by 350.