Washington - U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) today responded to the mischaracterization of several family-reunification amendments to the immigration bill as "killer amendments" by certain backers of the immigration deal:

"As one of the main negotiators of this legislation who supported last year's bill and has fervently backed comprehensive immigration reform, I take particular exception to the characterization of these amendments as 'killer amendments'," said Sen. Menendez. "The suggestion that these amendments were introduced with the intention of killing the legislation is wholly inaccurate and demeaning to the deliberative process here in the Senate, where every Senator can make up his or her own mind.

"These amendments are meant to strengthen families under a reformed immigration system, not to bring the reform effort down. I will continue to work with my colleagues to reinforce family values in the immigration process, and I hope we will get fair and honest votes as the week progresses."

Sen. Menendez has offered and co-sponsored the following amendments:

PENDING

  • Menendez-Hagel: Would include family-based visa applicants who applied before January 1, 2007 in the backlog-clearing process. The bill currently only includes those who applied before May 1, 2005, forcing an estimated 833,000 family members to start from scratch under a completely new system.
  • Clinton-Hagel-Menendez: Would remove the cap on visas for spouses and minor children of Legal Permanent Residents - a right that under the bill would only be granted to citizens.
  • Dodd-Menendez: Would raise the cap on visas for parents of American citizens from 40,000 per year to 90,000.
  • Obama-Menendez: Would sunset the immigration points system.


TO BE INTRODUCED

  • Menendez-Obama: Would give points for family connections under the immigration point system.

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