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Home Page > News > GOP Senator Charles Grassley puts a hold on E3 immigration bill for the Irish

GOP Senator Charles Grassley puts a hold on E3 immigration bill for the Irish

Lobbyists for bill still confident that passage can be negotiated

NIALL O'DOWD,

IrishCentral Founder

Published Thursday, February 2, 2012, 7:31 AM

Updated Thursday, February 2, 2012, 10:25 AM

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An Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform (ILIR) rally

Photo by Irishvoices.blogspot

Senator Charles Grassley, Republican of Iowa, has placed a hold on an immigration bill in the Senate, which could give up to 10,000 visas a year to the Irish.

The Irish E3 legislation is part of a broader bill that would allow more hi tech workers from countries such as China, India and Mexico to come to America.

E-3s are temporary work visas that allow individuals or married couples to come to the U.S. with a job offer and work legally for two years at a time. The visa is indefinitely renewable.

Senator Charles Schumer D- New York moved to expedite the bill on Wednesday and had 53 Democratic co-sponsors.

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It is believed that up to eight Republicans will sign on led by Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts, which would give the bill a filibuster-proof majority in the senate. Senator Susan Collins of Maine signaled her support on Wednesday

The Grassley hold was not unexpected, as he had made his intentions clear when the bill was first moved to the senate after easily passing the house, though the Irish visa proposal was not part of the original House bill.

On December 5th, Grassley stated his opposition to the bill when it came to the senate.

"I have concerns about the impact of this bill on future immigration flows, and am concerned that it does nothing to better protect Americans at home who seek high-skilled jobs during this time of record high unemployment," he said. Experts believe he is seeking a broader bill.

Computerworld magazine reported at the time that Grassley, with Sen. Dick Durban (D-Ill.), has been seeking for years to reform the H-1B visa program in order to give U.S. workers preference in hiring, increase the prevailing wages, and limit use of the visa by offshore outsourcing firms.

The attention now switches to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell who is being lobbied by the hi-tech community and Irish Americans to find a solution to the Grassley impasse and allow the bill to pass the senate.

Irish lobbyists hope that McConnell, who is Irish American, will be sensitive to Irish concerns and also to those of the high tech lobby and point out that the new bill does not increase the number of Green Cards. Irish Foreign Minister Eamon Gilmore will be in Washington next week and is expected to seek a meeting with McConnell and possibly Grassley.

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15 - 45 | See all comments

stephen1553 | Feb 06, 2012, 12:40 AM EST

I one looks at the repubs in general, they'll see that they almosst violently dislike immigration. Thats strange, since Repubs support big business who like immigrants because they can pay them lower wages............the only answer is the repubs always need an "enemy to bash", its part of their culture of creating fear and yes hate.....................Irish people are just their latest victim.........Remember - Catholics people were often the victims of discrimination. the repubs political base is the evangelical xtians, who gave us slavery, the KKK, and segregation. whose nightmare has come true in our first black President.................To bad there isnt a large fertile deserted Island named Austraiiia II..........Get those people away from Faux news and maybe in a generation they will become good people, as have the Australians, a wonderful country / people.

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SeamusMartin | Feb 03, 2012, 02:02 PM EST

I know of Mr. Grassley. He is, in my opinion, on of the few honest congressmen in the Senate. However he is (how they say) Iowa stubborn, but not unreasonable. It'll be worked out. I'm sure of that! Slan.

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joycean | Feb 03, 2012, 11:42 AM EST

I agree that this sonds like a very flawed bill. It probably needs to be thrown out and redone.

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GeorgeDillon | Feb 03, 2012, 10:06 AM EST

This is good news. No one who loves Ireland should act to facilitate the emigration of Irish people from Ireland. The solution is for Irish people to go home and change their broken society. Today's Ireland is a disgrace when compared to the dreams of Pearse and Connolly. You do not improve your country by exporting your young people and importing foreign migrants. Or do the Irish think the foreign migrants are better than their own young people?

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rohitsh | Feb 03, 2012, 08:40 AM EST

You guys just killed H.R.3012. It is so sad, we are living in US for decades now, we are legal, came here legally, employed but can't get green card because lot of people who were born in my country applied. H.R.3012 is to remove that discrimination, it is about fairness. There is no reason why employement based Green cards should have country limits. There is no reason, why my collegue from Egypt should get his green 2 years and I get in 20 years. This is inhuman. But sorry folks you killed our hope. HR3012 should have been left alone, you should have looked for other vehicle. Why kill 3012 ?

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norrobam | Feb 03, 2012, 07:44 AM EST

As for the high technology aspect providing 10,000 visas is against Irish interests as there is actually a shortage of skilled technical resources for Irish based companies. In fact we could do with offering 3 or 4,000 Visas to get developers, designers etc. into Ireland - for ICT companies

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IrelandNorth | Feb 03, 2012, 05:40 AM EST

A chara/friend Seanadoir/Senator Grassley! Remember the Irish who built your cities, swelled the ranks of your armed forces, waited your restaurant tables, baby sat your children, nursed your sick, and treated your wounded, and "... pledged allegience to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, with liberty and justice for all."

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joan1954 | Feb 03, 2012, 12:36 AM EST

These comments have been interesting. How many Americans would work in the cotton fields harvesting that crop as well as wheat, corn and sorghum? I can assure you not many. How many would clean homes and take care of children at what constitutes minimum wage? Interesting?

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Murph46 | Feb 02, 2012, 08:05 PM EST

Wouldn't respect either irishgreeneyes or seanmelb if they didn't like their homeland ,but if you are dissing another country without ever being there, doesn't do much for either of you.I have been fortunate to visit Ireland,not Australia which is fifth on my travel itinerary.

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baldydub | Feb 02, 2012, 07:00 PM EST

typical teabagger obstruction to progress.

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Irishgreeneyes | Feb 02, 2012, 06:57 PM EST

Murph, I know the Irish are leaving Ireland, but Ireland is far better than America. Seanomelb, Irish should stay in their home country , period. America is nasty and the "outback" is just as bad. Irish women are sick of losing their men to foreign women. The true Irish are dying off.

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Heather911 | Feb 02, 2012, 06:53 PM EST

Murph46, With Irishgreeneyes' attitude, I would leave Ireland too if I had to be around that. What she doesn't realize is that many Americans have loved the Irish in so many ways. Sure, I am not Irish, I just had a great grandfather who was born to a Scottish Father and an Irish Mother. I am proud to say that I had family who had Irish roots, but people like her are tarnishing the once loved Irish, with her bitterness.

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seanomelb | Feb 02, 2012, 06:52 PM EST

If the Irish wish to earn some real dollars and the best standard of living in the world and the best economy I might add, Australia needs you. Why work for crumbs in the good old USA.

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Murph46 | Feb 02, 2012, 06:42 PM EST

Irishgreeneyes America ain't losing people Ireland is.Duh! There is obviously upward mobilty as per the number of Presidents with Irish ancestry,but of course you know better!

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Heather911 | Feb 02, 2012, 05:46 PM EST

I think the entire immigration policies here in the U.S are completely twisted. You have people who come to this country, seeking a better life. If they come and abide by the laws and want to work, then what is the big deal? Those who are wasting space, breaking the laws, selling drugs or whatever, deport them. Welcome those over here who have good intentions. We have a lot of illegals here from other countries, and the U.S Government caters to them, but I bet if you are a citizen or you are here legally, you are on your own.

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