A bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to change the level, and preference system for admission, of immigrants to the United States, and to provide for administrative naturalization, and for other purposes.

Summary

Immigration Act of 1988 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to establish a three-year, two-tiered immigration level of 590,000 annual entries made up of 440,000 "family connection" immigrants and 150,000 "independent" (employment-related) immigrants. Requires the Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretaries of Labor, State, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, to report annually, beginning in FY 1993, to the President and to the appropriate congressional committees on the social, economic, and environmental impacts of immigration. Requires the President, at three-year intervals beginning in March 1992, to submit to the Congress a determination to maintain or change immigration levels. Provides that: (1) if the determination contains a change of less than five percent, such change shall become effective unless the Congress objects within a specified time; and (2) if the determination contains a change of five percent or more, the Congress must take specified affirmative approval action. Limits annual "family connection" visas from each foreign country to seven percent (or two percent in the case of a dependent area) of the annual total of such visas. Revises the immigration admissions preference system. Allocates "family connection" preferences as follows: (1) parents and unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens; (2) spouses and unmarried sons and daughters of permanent resident aliens; (3) certain married sons and daughters or brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens; and (4) never married brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens. Allocates "independent" preferences as follows: (1) special immigrants; (2) aliens who are members of the professions with advanced degrees or aliens of exceptional ability; (3) skilled workers; (4) employer-commercial investors; and (5) selected immigrants chosen on a point system basis. Sets forth the following point system criteria: (1) age; (2) education; (3) English language ability; (4) U.S. occupational demand; and (5) occupational training and work experience. Directs the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Attorney General and the Secretaries of Labor and Education, to establish such point system. States that all such preference visas shall be issued in the order in which they were filed. Amends petitioning procedure provisions. Permits special immigrant petitions to be filed with the Attorney General, except for former overseas U.S. employees who must file with the Secretary of State. Directs the Secretary to issue regulations regarding selected immigrant status. Amends labor certification provisions to exclude certain classes of immigrants unless the Secretary of Labor certifies that there are not sufficient qualified U.S. workers and that employment of aliens in such positions will not adversely affect U.S. workers' wages and conditions. Directs the Secretary to conduct a study of the labor certification process and report to the appropriate congressional committees by March 31, 1992. Establishes a two-year conditional permanent resident status for certain alien entrepreneurs and their families. Authorizes the Attorney General to terminate such status and institute deportation proceedings upon a finding that the qualifying enterprise was not genuine. Establishes criminal penalties for such violations. Provides for selected immigrant visa fees. Amends Federal law to credit to a Department of State account up to $20,000,000 from fees collected by consular officers to pay expenses for research, development, equipment, and automation of visa and passport functions.

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Timeline

1. 23 February 1988

   Reported

   Committee on Judiciary ordered to be reported an original measure.

   Source: Committee

2. 26 February 1988

   Calendars

   Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 568.

   Source: Calendars

3. 26 February 1988

   Reported

   Committee on Judiciary. Original measure reported to Senate by Senator Byrd for Senator Biden. With written report No. 100-290. Additional views filed.

   Source: Committee

4. 26 February 1988

   Reported

   Committee on Judiciary. Original measure reported to Senate by Senator Byrd for Senator Biden. With written report No. 100-290. Additional views filed.

   Source: Committee

5. 26 February 1988

   Introduced

   Introduced in Senate

   Source: IntroReferral

6. 3 March 1988

   Floor

   Star Print ordered S. 2104.

   Source: Floor

7. 14 March 1988

   Floor

   Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.

   Source: Floor

8. 15 March 1988

   Floor

   Considered by Senate.

   Source: Floor

9. 15 March 1988

   Vote

   Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with amendments and an amendment to the Title by Yea-Nay Vote. 88-4. Record Vote No: 50.

   Source: Floor

10. 21 March 1988

    Introduced

    Referred to House Committee on The Judiciary.

    Source: IntroReferral

11. 21 March 1988

    Floor

    Message on Senate action sent to the House.

    Source: Floor

12. 24 March 1988

    Referred

    Referred to Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees, and International Law.

    Source: Committee

13. 25 March 1988

    Committee

    Executive Comment Requested from Justice, Labor, State.

    Source: Committee

14. 7 September 1988

    Committee

    Subcommittee Hearings Held.

    Source: Committee

15. 16 September 1988

    Committee

    Subcommittee Hearings Held.

    Source: Committee

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.

Documents

2 official files

• Passed Senate amended

  summary · EN · 15 March 1988

  Open at official source

• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 26 February 1988

  Open at official source

Sponsors

• Sen. Biden, Joseph R., Jr. [D-DE] · D · Sponsor
• · hsju00 · Standing
• · ssju00 · Standing

Related records

• related to → Immigration Act of 1987