Fighting for Florida

On April 17, my colleagues and I introduced immigration legislation. It marked a first step toward achieving the strongest border security and enforcement measures in U.S. history, modernizing our legal immigration system to unleash strong economic growth and job creation, and dealing with our undocumented immigrant population in a tough, but fair way that is directly linked to achieving several security triggers.

While I believe this legislation will accomplish these things, I am also confident that an open and transparent process – one that engages every senator and the American people – will make it even better. I believe this kind of open debate is critical in helping the American people understand what’s in the bill, what it means for you and what it means for our future.

During my time in the Senate, many of you have written to me about your concerns with our immigration system. Today, I want to share this video with you in which I outline what this legislation sets out to do. And most importantly, I want to invite you to share your thoughts and submit your ideas below, on ways we can improve it.

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Comments 451-455 of 5293

J Weider

05/05/2013 03:31 PM

No Amnesty. Secure the borders. Force all illegal aliens to go home at their own expense.
Tom Sawyer

05/05/2013 03:26 PM

Dear Mr.Rubio, It's time to fix the broken Immigration system by alleviating those waiting "legally" in the line for years.This is not the time to grant amnesty for "undocumented" immigrants to provide a path to their citizenship.It's neither Fair nor Justified to the legal Immigrants and Citizens.So let's talk now about reforming the Immigration process for
the Legal Immigrants and take up undocumented immigrants later when the border is secured.
The Legal immigrants are under heavy duress due to highly restrictive practices by the immigration agency. This is particularly true of those in the Employment Category where one needs to pay thousands of dollars in Fees to the immigration agency to maintain their status current till they get their Green cards. Although some in the waiting line have access to EAD,even
those are very restrictive - they also have to maintain the "Same" Jobs so the GC process is not stopped.They cannot seek to progress in their careers or start a business,thus dampening their zeal and motivation to compete and thrive which in turn makes our Economy stronger.The employers are only too happy to get such "indentured servants" at their disposal.
I have a friend who is from a country "Quota" that is heavily back-logged and has been here in the US for close to 14 years.He has been waiting in line for GC for himself and his family for 10 years in the EB3 category with the same employer without recourse to any advancement in career prospects.The crux of the matter is that despite being a professional with years of
experience and multiple degrees, the Employer "conveniently" chose to put him in this category rather than EB2, by diluting the requirements for the Job with a "guarantee" of retaining a better qualified Employee for many years.The Green Cards are for future employment,but ironically one has to have that job now to even apply for the same Future Job!
So here are my suggestions that I request you to consider for streamlining the GC process for the "Employment based" Legal immigrants:
1. Abolish country quotas and make it First in First out. Employment Category has no place for applicants being discriminated based on
their country of Birth.
2. Tie the GC Visa to the primary applicant and provide GC to dependents automatically once the GC is approved for the Primary applicant.
Do not count Dependents' Visa in the total Quota (similar to the H1-B, where dependents are not counted towards the quota cap).
3. Grant Green Cards automatically to Legal Immigrants once the waiting time for GC exceeds 10 years. Just consider this- 10 years is a
long time for waiting (for whatever reason) even if one lives up to a 100 years ("Life is short!").
4. Abolish the GC Lottery and allocate those to the Employment category instead. Why risk getting immigrants who are not vetted and whose
motives are not in our National interests?
5. Give Experience of the applicant more weightage and the appropriate category rather than the requirements of the job dictating which
category one has to be in.(Similar to points system).
6. Once the applicant has applied for the GC process, he/she should be provided "Provisional GC status" with an ability to move up the
career ladder or to seek employment with a different employer even in a different field etc instead of the highly restrictive EAD.
7. De-link the GC process for a future job, it should be for the job that one already has, thus eliminating a very confusing and detrimental rule to the GC process. No one is going to wait for 10 years for a Job that may not be there in this fast changing World!
Dear Senator, it's time these hapless folks the much needed "RELIEF" from the harrowing wait times! They bring a lot to the Table and the Economic recovery of our Country. Helping them will help all Citizens as well!
Sincerely,
TS
Laura Sumrall

05/05/2013 03:23 PM

So, many think the answer is the cheap labor...in So. Cal. illegals are asking $15 an hour...cheap for pulling weeds or trimming hedges ? If they get leagle status, they will just ask for more. So cheap labor is a myth.
Amnesty ? So what laws do we follow and what laws don't we follow ? Situation ethics in play here ? Come on.
AMNESTY HAS NEVER PROVEN TO BE A GOOD THING IN THE PAST...JUST MADE THE PROBLEM WORSE!
We are losing all respect for both parties...anarchy will follow if someone does not emerge as a leader doing the RIGHT thing...obey the laws you have made!
Diana H

05/05/2013 03:21 PM

Scrap the immigration bill and do the following please:
1) Close the border, until we determine who is in our country.
2) Allow ICE and states to enforce the law
3) Deport all illegals
See, there is a good solution, with 500 pages of government schlock!
Nancy Massey

05/05/2013 03:21 PM

Dear Senator Rubio-As an Independent voter, I have admired you over the past few months and your common sense approach to immigration reform. To give you some background, my son-in-law recently went through the i-601 waiver process. This was probably the most stressful and unnecessary process that it will take a good while for all of us to recover from both financially and emotionally. There has to be a better way and CIR could accomplish this. I have followed immigration reform closely since 2003(this was the year that my daughter and son-in-law married) I don't vote Republican or Democratic tickets. I vote for the candidate that makes the most sense. In the past 2 elections I voted for Barack Obama primarily because of the harsh stance your party felt it necessary to take on immigration reform. I am begging you to stand up for what I know that you know is right and not fall vicitm to those right wing vocal minority people. I think you have a good chance at being the first Hispanic president but you are going to have to resist that ridiculous tendency that your party has to listen to those anti-immigrant zealots. It is people like me that will get you elected. Just look at McCain and Romney if you don't believe what I say. I strongly urge to stand your ground and support CIR with a path way to citizen ship and support of family unity. Thank you.