Republicans to press for immigration reform after poor Presidential election return

STEM bill to go before Congress to expand green card system

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House Republicans will bid to overhaul American immigration laws in a direct response to their poor showing among Hispanics in the Presidential election.

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The Boston Herald says the bill will be taken up this time under normal procedures requiring only a majority vote and it is almost certain to pass the Republican-led House.

The bill would give 55,000 green cards a year to doctoral and masters graduates in the STEM fields and would make it easier for people trained in the United States to put their skills to work for American companies rather than non-American competitors.

The legislation would still eliminate the Diversity Visa Lottery Program which gives out a similar 55,000 green cards a year to those from countries, including many in Africa, with traditionally low rates of immigration to the U.S.

Crystal Williams, executive director of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, said: “The bill is a message from Republicans that we are here and we are ready to talk about immigration reform.

“But I doubt it will make much progress in the Senate during the short lame-duck session. People are now starting to think about broader reform.

“A limited bill that doesn’t increase visas won’t get a lot of support.”

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