Last week, Senator Thom Tillis and two of his colleagues introduced a bill called “The Succeed Act,” which stands for “Solution for Undocumented Children through Careers, Employment, Education and Defending our nation.”
After President Trump announced that DACA would be rescinded within 6 months, he contacted senators to come up with a new plan, to draft legislation that would replace DACA.
Legal status in the United States is currently uncertain for thousands of children of illegal immigrants. According to this new bill, if you came to this country under the age of sixteen, follow the law, pay taxes, then you can remain in the country with legal status.
The three sponsors of the proposed bill argue that DACA was an executive order, a temporary solution with no permanency. This put families in turmoil every two years, always questioning whether or not they would remain. They propose that The Succeed Act is the legislative solution that these families need.
One of the bill’s sponsors, Senator Oren Hatch, said in a press conference, “I’m tired of this problem.” “We need a permanent solution, not just kicking it down the road.”
Senator Tillis stated in the same press conference, “It’s completely merit based. It ensures fairness. There’s no skipping in line.”
There are at least 27,385 dreamers in NC. What would the Succeed Act mean for them?
The naturalization process would take approximately fifteen years and participants must have a clean criminal record. Throughout those fifteen years, undocumented children who arrived to the United States before the age of 16 and before June of 2012 (when DACA was enacted) must proceed through three phases. During these phases, they can apply for conditional residence for five years, then must eventually earn a high school diploma or equivalent, commit to either maintaining employment for 48 out of 60 months, earning a post-secondary or vocational degree, or serve honorably in the military for three years, and eventually apply for a green card, or Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) status. And after five years with a green card, they can apply to be a naturalized citizen.
“During that 15-year time frame they have access to work, access to school, access to travel, so they have those basic freedoms in place, that individuals on DACA do not have right now,” Senator Lankford said. “We want to create some sort of permanence but put them in the line so they can go through the process.”
But some critics are crying “amnesty!” Why? Because the Succeed Act allows for the children of undocumented immigrants to eventually sponsor their parents for naturalization, a process known as chain migration.
And let’s face it– this 15-year naturalization process will be a great burden on taxpayers, since these individuals will assume many of the benefits existing citizens receive, including public education.
But as always the devil is in the details . Several questions remain unanswered, such as:
How will the vetting process work?
What exactly does a “clean criminal record” mean?
Are they registered to vote and have they been voting illegally? Of course, this would constitute a felony.?
What challenge will the exponential influx of immigrants bring to our vetting process?
And what will happen to those who refuse to take part in this naturalization process and remain here illegally?
Yes, there are many questions.
The bottom line is that President Obama’s executive action (DACA) was inadequate and Congress needs to address the uncertainty of the future for children of illegal immigrants.
But is The Succeed Act the best way to do this?
It seems that senator Tillis has been working hard to increase the number of illegal immigrants in North Carolina and the country. The Washington Times
( http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/jul/10/thom-tillis-puts-hold-on-nomination-over-h-2b-visa/ ) says that Tillis has been holding up Trump’s appointments to force the administration to let in more illegals. When they stay they will vote democratic, force an increase in taxes to pay for services for them. They take away jobs and hold down wages for the people who live here. Too bad Tillis doesn’t care about North Carolinians. There are many people who are out of work, underemployed here. Charity starts at home.
I cannot believe we are allowing these invaders to win. These people did not come here because of wars, they came because they wanted to illegally work. Their countries ought to work their job problems, not us!
The message we’re sending: “Come as you are, we welcome you, especially if you’re a minor because we feel sorry for you. We’ll give you legal status after you work like everyone else! Ahh, but wait, in the process America will feed you, clothed you, sheltered you, schooled you, and trained you FOR FREE.
Have we gone MAD? How would we track these people during the next 15 years? ICE cannot catch the illegals who currently walk our streets or at public events such as “La Fiesta del Pueblo”. Illegals are not longer scared of their illegal status because we allow it to be so.
15 years from now, DACA illegals will still roam the states and will continue their illegal mischief as they’ve been doing the last 20 years. These folks do not know the meaning of following the law of the land. They’re not dreamers, they’re nightmares, and this legislation is an INSULT to all LEGAL immigrants who have come through proper legal channels.
Thom Tillis knows he needs to do two things to get re-elected. One, use Voter Suppression, which is a tenable way to go since the Courts will scrutinize this method, or two, expand his base to include others.
Thom only won his seat by 45K votes with Voter Suppression. Now that Voter ID has failed, he is probably worried.
Will the “Dreamers” be still eligible for In-State tuition regardless of what State they enroll in college?( A benefit not afforded students who are not illegal.)
Will Chain migration begin before the Dreamer becomes a citizen?
How can we trust Congress when they have proven to be untrustworthy in the past, for example: President Regan, through Congress, allowed 4 million immigrants to legally enter the Country on the premise it would be a one time good deal. They finally allowed 11 million to entry and here we are again at the same gate.
So many, including NC Civitas seem baffled about the issue of exactly who does the menial agriculture and farming work in North Carolina and across the U.S.
If North Carolina and the U.S. had decent moral laws protecting and supporting Labor, Americans could do these jobs.
60 years ago, African-Americans did most of the Agriculture and Home Health Care jobs. They were denied the same benefits that other workers were granted. Part of the shameful Racist past that nobody in the NCGOP and few if any in the NCDP even know about or own up to. If they did, they would all drag those Racist Confederate statues down immediately!
This article is filled with misinformation and wink and nod hate speech….naturally.
This is why we need a recall amendment in NC. We need to bring Tillis home to NC. We do not need him in DC.
I wonder who is sending Tillis money. Why is he supporting this?