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Bill to scrap the diversity lottery

OnTheGo

OnTheGo

Registered Users (C)
I'm not sure whether this has been attempted before, at least to the stage of actually submitting a bill to Congress, to find support to have the DV program eliminated in its entirety, but I just had Google alert me to this latest attempt by some FL based Republican Senator:

https://popvox.com/bills/us/114/hr2278

Does anyone know if this site has more relevance, than these Openpetition type sites?

A Republican lawmaker from Florida unveiled a bill Tuesday that would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate the visa lottery system, which makes up to 50,000 immigrant visas available each year.

Rep. Bill Posey, R-Fla., along with House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., introduced H.R. 2278 — also known as the Security and Fairness Enhancement for America Act of 2015 or the SAFE for America Act — which would get rid of the diversity immigrant program. The program makes 50,000 immigrant visas available...
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(above is actually quoted from: http://www.law360.com/)

See how the argument is based on "Security" and "Safety" for America?
In my view, that's nonsense as they will do the same security checks on ANY immigrant, no matter the type of visa!

I wish we could all complete the OPPOSE forms, but you need to have an actual address in the USA.
 
OnTheGo said:
I'm not sure whether this has been attempted before, at least to the stage of actually submitting a bill to Congress, to find support to have the DV program eliminated in its entirety, but I just had Google alert me to this latest attempt by some FL based Republican Senator:

https://popvox.com/bills/us/114/hr2278

Does anyone know if this site has more relevance, than these Openpetition type sites?


(above is actually quoted from: http://www.law360.com/)

See how the argument is based on "Security" and "Safety" for America?
In my view, that's nonsense as they will do the same security checks on ANY immigrant, no matter the type of visa!

I wish we could all complete the OPPOSE forms, but you need to have an actual address in the USA.
Click to expand...
There is no question that the Diversity Immigration Program in its current shape and form will eventually be replaced by a qualification driven program (STEM or other), as part of any comprehensive US Immigration Reform Act. The question, at this stage, is one of "when" not of "if". As comparable qualification driven programs in Europe and other countries, the US will ultimately benefit from such change - just my two cents worth....
 
OnTheGo said:
I'm not sure whether this has been attempted before, at least to the stage of actually submitting a bill to Congress, to find support to have the DV program eliminated in its entirety, but I just had Google alert me to this latest attempt by some FL based Republican Senator:

https://popvox.com/bills/us/114/hr2278

Does anyone know if this site has more relevance, than these Openpetition type sites?


(above is actually quoted from: http://www.law360.com/)

See how the argument is based on "Security" and "Safety" for America?
In my view, that's nonsense as they will do the same security checks on ANY immigrant, no matter the type of visa!

I wish we could all complete the OPPOSE forms, but you need to have an actual address in the USA.
Click to expand...

Well, the security issues have already been addressed a number of times, as the checks are indeed the same as any other immigrant visa.

EURO2014 said:
There is no question that the Diversity Immigration Program in its current shape and form will eventually be replaced by a qualification driven program (STEM or other), as part of any comprehensive US Immigration Reform Act. The question, at this stage, is one of "when" not of "if". As comparable qualification driven programs in Europe and other countries, the US will ultimately benefit from such change - just my two cents worth....
Click to expand...

Agree with this.
I am equivocal about whether or not they really need to abolish DV, given 50k is pretty small overall for the US that has around 1m IVs a year. Particularly as data show that DV immigrants on average are better qualified and work in better jobs than the average of other IVs - and I presume that is precisely because the only "qualification" you need for the rest of them is a family member prepared to sponsor you. IMO it's the bulk of those visas, not the DV ones, that more necessarily need to be replaced by STEM visas. I think they should keep family visas to spouses and minor children and free the rest up for STEM, as well as revamping the H1 system to get it to better attract who they need to.
 
SusieQQQ said:
[...] 50k is pretty small overall for the US that has around 1m IVs a year. Particularly as data show that DV immigrants on average are better qualified and work in better jobs than the average of other IVs - and I presume that is precisely because the only "qualification" you need for the rest of them is a family member prepared to sponsor you. IMO it's the bulk of those visas, not the DV ones, that more necessarily need to be replaced by STEM visas. I think they should keep family visas to spouses and minor children and free the rest up for STEM, as well as revamping the H1 system to get it to better attract who they need to.
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Oh, wow I had no idea that ONE MILLION people are immigrating to the USA each year!
How many parents of US immigrants are being given IV's out of those 1 Mio?
I find it quite unusual to give our IVs to parents just because the children chose to live in another country.
 
OnTheGo said:
I read the article but somehow fail to understand how this relates to what I posted? Please enlighten me :rolleyes:...
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"Oh, wow I had no idea that ONE MILLION people are immigrating to the USA each year!" (your quote)
- this truly is big business, which is what counts here in the US - and DV, as SusieQQQ rightly pointed out, is really so small and unimportant it doesn't make much of a difference in the total scope of things. Nevertheless, right or wrong, it will be abolished/dramatically modified as part of any comprehensive US Immigration Reform Act. Then comes TurboTax for US Immigration - welcome to the future! :D
 
EURO2014 said:
TurboTax for US Immigration - welcome to the future! :D
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Yeah, I think I'll develop a similar system, call it TurboVisa and enter, process and approve myself first, then sell this thing for $1billion to Facebook founder Zukkerboy and be happy :p :p :p
 
OnTheGo said:
I'm not sure whether this has been attempted before, at least to the stage of actually submitting a bill to Congress, to find support to have the DV program eliminated in its entirety, but I just had Google alert me to this latest attempt by some FL based Republican Senator:
Click to expand...

This bill will go nowhere. Won't make it out of committee.

To be frank, using a lottery to pick immigrants isn't a good immigration strategy so I understand why everyone wants to axe it. If I was the US government I'd pick the best 50,000 not just a bunch of people at random.
 
guestgulkan said:
This bill will go nowhere. Won't make it out of committee.

To be frank, using a lottery to pick immigrants isn't a good immigration strategy so I understand why everyone wants to axe it. If I was the US government I'd pick the best 50,000 not just a bunch of people at random.
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Sure - but DV isn't their immigration strategy - it is a tiny part of the overall strategy - 1 in 20....
 
I personally think the DV is a good idea, and US does have other types of visas, some based on qualification, others based on jobs etc. so it's not as if they are limiting the other methods in favour of this, and the reasons for setting up the DV programme in the first place are still valid. But it does need reform, for example increase the qualification requirement to either a College degree OR 5 years of skilled experience on top of a High School Diploma and perhaps have an upper age limit. That way it would make it much more palatable to the Republicans. I also saw somewhere some stats about the number of LPRs who abandon their GC after a couple of years, as they don't succeed in establishing themselves here or find out that it is not as simple and straight forward as they thought it was. I suppose if you come here with a family to feed and not having great language skill, and low qualification competing with other residents and citizens for few jobs and having to rely on a family or friend to support you can't be easy.
I know when we moved here, despite the fact that English is my native language, and I had a job offer and cash in the bank, it was still very hard. I had to take the Bar exam to qualify to practice in the State and felt a bit old to be revising for exams and the working environment is very different from what I was used to( and that goes for any kind of immigration), so it must be a hundred times harder for other DV candidates who may come here without all the advantages and possibly never travelled abroad and have a family to support as well.
 
Martin9 said:
I personally think the DV is a good idea, and US does have other types of visas, some based on qualification, others based on jobs etc. so it's not as if they are limiting the other methods in favour of this, and the reasons for setting up the DV programme in the first place are still valid. But it does need reform, for example increase the qualification requirement to either a College degree OR 5 years of skilled experience on top of a High School Diploma and perhaps have an upper age limit. That way it would make it much more palatable to the Republicans. I also saw somewhere some stats about the number of LPRs who abandon their GC after a couple of years, as they don't succeed in establishing themselves here or find out that it is not as simple and straight forward as they thought it was. I suppose if you come here with a family to feed and not having great language skill, and low qualification competing with other residents and citizens for few jobs and having to rely on a family or friend to support you can't be easy.
I know when we moved here, despite the fact that English is my native language, and I had a job offer and cash in the bank, it was still very hard. I had to take the Bar exam to qualify to practice in the State and felt a bit old to be revising for exams and the working environment is very different from what I was used to( and that goes for any kind of immigration), so it must be a hundred times harder for other DV candidates who may come here without all the advantages and possibly never travelled abroad and have a family to support as well.
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Hello, You do make good points but still I do not agree with you, you are asking to up the limits of qualifications etc, thats already there under skilled workers etc. DV was all about giving people chances and dreams. People Fail everyday migration or staying home thats not something anyone can prevent.
 
zbug said:
Hello, You do make good points but still I do not agree with you, you are asking to up the limits of qualifications etc, thats already there under skilled workers etc. DV was all about giving people chances and dreams. People Fail everyday migration or staying home thats not something anyone can prevent.
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I think there is a misunderstanding here. The skilled workers usually come under the H1 visa which is not a Green Card, they also usually have to have a job offer. The other ways are usually for people with PhD or "highly skilled" migrants, not for college degree graduates. And by the way, this isn't my suggestion, these are some of the reforms being discussed.
You are right, people fail everyday, but there are also a lot who would have been better off at home. I'm not talking about those who are escaping persecution and poverty, but DV is open to a lot of first world countries who could have been better off staying at home.
 
zbug said:
Hello, You do make good points but still I do not agree with you, you are asking to up the limits of qualifications etc, thats already there under skilled workers etc. DV was all about giving people chances and dreams. People Fail everyday migration or staying home thats not something anyone can prevent.
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no it wasn't. It was all about increasing the diversity of the nationalities of immigrants.
 
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