WSM Attorneys Push for Immigration Reform on Capitol Hill
April 16, 2013
On April 11, WSM attorneys Lisa Baker Jones and Stephanie Corinna Smith met with various members of Congress in Washington, D.C. to encourage their support of a favorable immigration bill providing comprehensive reform of what many see as a broken, unworkable system. They met personally with the following members of Congress and/or their legislative staff: Senator Barbara Boxer (California); and Representatives Nancy Pelosi (San Francisco), Zoe Lofgren (San Jose area), Mike Honda (Silicon Valley), Ami Bera (Sacramento County), Jared Huffman (Marin County north to Oregon border), Doug LaMalfa (Shasta and Red Bluff), and Tom McClintock (Gold country, Sierra region). Baker Jones and Smith led the meetings as part of AILA's National Day of Action, which takes place annually in Washington, D.C.
Some of the themes discussed on April 11 are expected to be reflected in the soon-to-be-released Senate's bill, such as a roadmap to citizenship for the nation's estimated 11 million undocumented workers; reduction of the backlog in both the employment- and family-based preference classifications; expanded discretionary standards of relief for Immigration Judges; enhanced provisions related to high-tech workers, entrepreneurs and STEM graduates; and continued resources directed to border security.
Check back here for updates and a complete analysis of the soon-to-be-released Senate bill.
