Platinum Immigration Services on Amnesty or Deportation

Comprehensive immigration reform is a multi-pronged issue, say the experts at Platinum Immigration Services. Rather than dealing in the binaries of amnesty and deportation, immigration attorneys note that there are many issues involved in actual immigration reform.

Comprehensive immigration reform is a multi-pronged issue, say the experts at Platinum Immigration Services. Rather than dealing in the binaries of amnesty and deportation, immigration attorneys note that there are many issues involved in actual immigration reform.

According to the experts, there are four major issues involved in reform - streamlining the current process, creating a guest worker program, gaining control of the US/Mexico border, and creating a way to practically deal with those who have stayed in the US illegally.

What the future holds is hard to determine ... an educated conversation on immigration is the best way to proceed.

Mike Corbett, Platinum Immigration Services

Rather than looking at only one part of the problem, it seems more logical to consider immigration as a whole. By looking at the immigration reform act put forth by Congress in 2013, one can envision a further act of Congress that might do more to address the current issues. Indeed, Mike Corbett at Platinum Immigration Services suggest that the issues may be addressed as follows:

Streamlining Immigration

Simply put, the current processes to immigrate are difficult to understand. The current policies limit the ways for foreign citizens to immigrate to the US, to family based immigration and corporate sponsorship of highly skilled workers through the H1b visa program.  To be an "immigrant", one must achieve Lawful Permanent Resident Status. Becoming a US citizen via naturalization, is optional after several years of Resident Status The current organization that is in charge of immigration, oddly enough, has no power to issue visas at all.  Visas are issued by the State Department.

There are several types of potential visa applicants, ranging from mere visitors to those intending on staying in the US permanently. Most discussions surrounding streamlining the process involve reducing the wait time to get a family based immigrant visa, which experts suggest may be best lowered by increasing visa quotas.

Guest Worker Programs

The creation of a guest worker program is somewhat more simple. Creating a guest worker program is debated heavily in Congress, and figuring out who would get a visa and how long those workers could stay is hotly contested. Dealing with those details, though, is a major part of immigration reform.

Border Control

Border control is also hotly debated, and there are several proposals to increase border security. Some of the proposals the firm has seen endorsed include subjecting some potential visa applicants and even visa holders to additional vetting if they have been to a country that is known to sponsor or train terrorists. Most agree, at least, that stricter visa controls may be needed.

Dealing with Current Immigrants

There are many proposed solutions to this problem, but the experts do believe that none of the solutions proposed by the extremes are likely to go anywhere. Rather than dealing with issues of full amnesty or mass deportation, they say that those without significant criminal records would need to pay taxes, pay a fee, and pay a penalty - and still have to go through a lengthy Provisional Immigration process, before achieving Lawful Permanent Resident status and a longer wait as Lawful residents, before being eligible to begin the naturalization process. This serves as both a method of dealing with undocumented immigrants compassionately while still providing an ample incentive to come forward and immigrate legally.

Platinum Immigration Services notes in their article Comprehensive Immigration Reform Explained that there are no easy answers, and that those without proper documentation to lawfully reside in the USAs should still rely upon a qualified immigration attorney for guidance. What the future holds is hard to determine, but the firm contends that an educated conversation on immigration is the best way to proceed.