On the recordNovember 30, 2012
Deeply embedded in this legislation is a poison pill, and for that reason and others, I rise in opposition to H.R. 6429. It eliminates the Diversity Immigrant Visa program while failing to address the broader problems of the immigration system. Highly skilled immigrants contribute much to the U.S. economy through new businesses and jobs. Indeed, STEM visas should be the cornerstone of a 21st century immigration system that meets our economic needs; but the STEM Jobs Act unnecessarily eliminates the Diversity Immigrant Visa program, which provides 55,000 visas annually to immigrants who are underrepresented in the U.S. immigration system. Because roughly half of these immigrants are blacks from Africa, eliminating these visas disproportionately affects them. African immigrants are also disadvantaged by a system that perpetuates their exclusion. For instance, Africans are unable to take advantage of immigrant visas issued in the family preference category because few Africans have existing family ties in the United States. Eliminating the Diversity Visa program harms America's diversity, which is both important and necessary. It is alarming that Republican supporters of this bill view immigration as a zero-sum game in which we can only grant STEM visas by eliminating Diversity visas. That is racist--if not in its intent, then certainly in its effect.…
