Legislative Bulletin

 

 

Hello all,

The National Immigration Forum's Legislative Bulletin for Friday,
February 16, 2024, is now posted.

You can find the online version of the bulletin
here: [link removed]

[link removed]

All the best,

Arturo 

**LEGISLATIVE BULLETIN - Friday, February 16, 2024**DEVELOPMENTS IN
IMMIGRATION POLICY THIS WEEK

BILLS INTRODUCED AND CONSIDERED

LEGISLATIVE FLOOR CALENDAR

UPCOMING HEARINGS AND MARKUPS

GOVERNMENT REPORTS

SPOTLIGHT ON NATIONAL IMMIGRATION FORUM RESOURCES

**DEVELOPMENTS IN IMMIGRATION POLICY THIS WEEK**

Immigration policy is a dynamic field subject to constant change. Here,
we summarize some of the most important recent developments in
immigration policy on the federal, legal, state, and local levels.

Content warning: This section sometimes includes events and information
that can prove disturbing.

****Federal****

******US Senate Passes Emergency Aid Package Without Immigration or
Border Security Provisions******On February 13, the U.S. Senate voted
70-29

to pass a $95.3 billion dollars emergency aid legislation that would
provide $60 billion dollars for Ukraine's defense, $14 billion dollars
for Israel, and $10 billion for humanitarian aid, including for
civilians in Gaza.

The bill passed

one week after the Senate blocked

a bipartisan compromise tying border policy changes and foreign aid that
was months in the making. That legislative package included

significant changes to border security in the United States, such as a
new expulsion authority at the U.S.-Mexico border and provisions to
heighten the standard for people to qualify for asylum. But with the
House showing no appetite
to take up the bill by stipulating it was not tough enough - and amid
pressure

from the former president, Donald Trump, to oppose the package - the
vast majority of Republican senators voted "no" on the compromise they
had once requested.

On February 12, Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) and Jerry Moran
(R-Kansas) introduced

an amendment to the national security supplemental package to provide a
path to permanent residency for Afghan allies who supported the United
States mission in Afghanistan. However, the final bill did not include
the proposed amendment or any other amendments related to immigration.

After passing the Senate, the foreign aid bill was sent to the House of
Representatives for their deliberation. House Speaker Mike Johnson
(R-Louisiana) criticized

the Senate bill for lacking border enforcement provisions - despite
opposing the Senate's bipartisan compromise on border changes last week
- and indicated the supplemental is unlikely to get a vote in its
current form. In response, some House Democrats and Republicans voiced
openness

to using a discharge petition to circumvent House leadership and move
forward with the national security funding package.

In a statement, President Biden applauded

"the bipartisan coalition of Senators who came together to advance this
agreement" and urged the House to take action and send this bipartisan
legislation for his signature.

******House of Representatives Impeach Secretary of Homeland Security
Alejandro Mayorkas******On February 13, the House of Representatives
voted 214-213 to impeach

Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas. The impeachment

**-** opposed by all Democrats and three House Republicans

**-** charged him with willfully refusing to enforce immigration laws
and court rulings around migrant detention. The vote came one week after
the House failed to impeach

Secretary Mayorkas by a 216-214 vote.

The impeachment

**-** a process reserved for high crimes and misdemeanors

**-** was criticized by national security leaders

and legal scholars