WHAT DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS WANT FROM IMMIGRATION REFORM
By Lisa Desjardins, @LisaDNews
Correspondent

As the Biden administration struggles to address the fast-growing number of unaccompanied minors at the U.S. border, members of Congress are laying out proposals for how to deal with broader immigration reform.

We thought it might be useful to lay out the most tangible Republican and Democratic proposals on the table now.

Democrats

Democrats in the House of Representatives have passed two pieces of immigration reform legislation.

First is the American Dream and Promise Act, which would establish a conditional status and path to citizenship for so-called “Dreamers” — undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children. 

• To qualify for a conditional status in this bill, “Dreamers” must have: arrived in the U.S. by age 18, have lived continuously in the U.S. before 2021, have a high school diploma (or equivalent), pass background checks and pay a yet-to-be-determined fee. This status can last up to 10 years.
• To obtain a permanent, unconditional status, which puts them on a path to citizenship after 10 years, immigrants who qualified for conditional status must do one of three things: graduate from college, serve in the military for at least two years or work for at least three years.
• The bill passed the House 228-197 last week, with nine Republicans joining Democrats in support.

The Farm Workforce Modernization Act

• The bill creates a new long-term visa program for farm workers, who would gain “certified agricultural worker“ status.  
• This status could last up to five and a half years, which is five times the length of current farm worker visas.
• Farm workers could apply for a permanent resident status after eight years as a certified agricultural worker or after 10 years of previous agricultural work plus another four as a certified agricultural worker.
• The bill also reforms the more short-term H-2A visas, streamlining the process for employers as well as adding new requirements  in regarding employer responsibility for and treatment of workers on their farms.
• The bill passed the House easily, 247 to 174. Some 30 Republicans joined Democrats in support.

Republicans: The “Dignity Proposal”

Last week, freshman Rep. Maria Salazar, R-Fla., released an outline of what she calls her “Dignity Proposal,” which would provide a path to citizenship for most of the undocumented immigrants in the United States now. Her plan:
 

• Border security must be completed before other parts of reform start. 
• The outline does not define criteria for a “secure border” yet. But it would fund an “impenetrable border infrastructure system” that includes physical barriers and up-to-date technology. Right now,
• Dreamers: The Dignity Plan would grant an immediate legal status and an as yet unspecified path to “permanent legalization” to migrants who arrived in the U.S. as children.
• Other undocumented migrants:
  • Short version: The bill would grant an immediate legal status for most migrants without criminal records who pay a fine.  Permanent status would be possible after 10 more years.
  • Immediate legal status, more: Salazar would set up a new, renewable five-year visa known as “the Dignity Program.”  Migrants could qualify if they pass a criminal background check, stay employed and pay taxes.
  • To get permanent status, migrants would have to: 
    1. Complete 10 years in the program. 
    2. Either volunteer in their community or contribute money to a small business fund.
    3. Learn English.
• Citizenship: After obtaining permanent status, an individual could go to the back of the rhetorical line and apply for citizenship. Salazar’s outline does not address whether they would need to “touch back” — return to their original home country — in order to apply. 
• Guest workers: The bill would establish a new visa program for guest workers. The outline does not provide details, except it would make E-Verify mandatory for employers.

ADDITIONAL READING: Our Daniel Bush wrote this deep dive on Democrats’ thinking and decisions about how to approach immigration in Congress.



FIVE OVERLOOKED POLITICAL STORIES FROM THE PAST WEEK
By Lisa Desjardins and Ian Couzens, @iancouzenz

Growing Number of Cities Weighing Tribal Land Acknowledgements. March 17. A number of towns and cities are passing resolutions to recognize the violence done to Native Americans and that the cities themselves sit on land that was home to Indigenous tribes. Why it matters: This shows a mixed moment for Native Americans. Some states and cities are addressing and recognizing the painful history and deep ties Native Americans have to land around the country. But, these resolutions are only symbolic and show that Native Americans still have little recourse to reclaim or protect lands taken by European settlers. -- Stateline.

Still some glimmers of COVID-19 bipartisanship in Congress. March 18. The House voted overwhelmingly last week to pass two bills related to the pandemic, extending the popular Paycheck Protection Program for small businesses and expanding services dealing with child abuse. Why it matters: Both chambers in Congress remain deeply partisan, but the Capitol is not frozen. Some legislation, especially addressing the criss, is still moving. -- Atlanta Journal Constitution

Gun Bill Passes Wyoming Senate’s Committee of the Whole. March 22. The Wyoming State Senate voted to invalidate any federal gun law the state sees as infringing on the Second Amendment right to bear arms. Why it matters: With Democrats in charge in Washington, conservatives are preparing for an ideological war in states they control. The Wyoming gun bill has several votes to go before it becomes state law, but it draws one of the sharpest battle lines yet, asserting a form of “nullification” – the idea that states can nullify federal laws, which was last popular among Southern states in the lead up to the Civil War. -- Cowboy State Daily

Dem Rep. Filemón Vela won't seek reelection under new Texas map. March 22. Vela, whose majority Latino district was safely blue before 2020, had been identified as a potential GOP target in 2022 after former President Donald Trump had a strong showing there during the general election. Why it matters: While new district lines won't be drawn for months, Republicans’ complete control over the redistricting process in Texas already had Democrats bracing for a close fight to maintain their slim House majority in 2022. Without an incumbent in Vela’s district, maintaining that seat will likely become harder. -- Politico 

Bill to aid US publishers vs. Google, Facebook rises again. March 22. While this is the third time the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act has been introduced in Congress since 2018, its odds of passing are much higher this time around with Democrats in control. Why it matters: Publishers across the country are struggling with declining ad revenues and shrinking newsrooms, and complain that Big Tech is squeezing them out of ad dollars while also exerting undue control over who sees their journalism. The bill would offer publishers a four-year antitrust exemption to band together to negotiate a more favorable position with major tech platforms. -- The Associated Press



#POLITICSTRIVIA
By Kate Grumke, @KGrumke
Politics producer

On this day in 1775, a founding father reportedly said a now famous but controversial quote: “Give me liberty, or give me death!” The quote was attributed as part of a speech encouraging military support to oppose the British, but the speech was reconstructed years later based on recollections, and there is some debate about whether it was actually said that day, at a Virginia convention.

Our question: Which founding father is famously credited with this quote?

Send your answers to [email protected] or tweet using #PoliticsTrivia. The first correct answers will earn a shout-out next week.

Last week, we asked: Who was the other now-congresswoman who shares the distinction with Haaland of being one of the first Native American women elected to Congress?

Answer: Rep. Sharice Davids of Kansas

Rep. Davids and Rep. Haaland were the first two Native American women elected to Congress. Last year, Yvette Herrell, a Cherokee Nation citizen, became the third when she was elected to represent New Mexico.

Congratulations to our winner: Dean Gottehrer!

Thank you all for reading and watching. We’ll drop into your inbox next week.