PASSAGE OF U.S. IMMIGRATION LEGISLATION LAST WEEK SETS THE STAGE FOR A NEW PHASE OF CONCERNS FOR COMPANIES HIRING LEGAL …MIGR…S, SAID DARYL BUFFENSTEIN, WHO SPEARHEADED THE DRIVE BY AMERICAN BUSINESS FOR LEGAL IMMIGRATION (ABLI) COALITION TO AMEND A VARIETY OF PROVISIONS DEBATED IN CONGRESS DURING THE PAST YEAR.
“A YEAR AGO WE WERE ON THE DEFENSIVE FENDING OFF A DRACONIAN ONSLAUGHT ON FOREIGN EXPERTISE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A BLOW TO THE ECONOMY,” SAID MR. BUFFENSTEIN, WHO STEPPED DOWN FROM THE PRESIDENCY OF THE AMERICAN IMMIGRATION LAWYERS ASSOCIATION (AILI) IN JUNE BUT REMAINS ACTIVE AS IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT.
HE SAID THAT ABLI, THE BROADBASED COALITION OF INDUSTRY AND POLITICAL GROUPS INCLUDING DIVERSE ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE CHRISTIAN COALITION, THE AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION AND THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MANUFACTURERS, WOULD BE MORE ON THE OFFENSIVE THIS YEAR, PROMOTING TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS TO THE CURRENT LEGISLATION. MR. BUFFENSTEIN IS A MEMBER OF ABLI’S STEERING COMMITTEE.
PROVISIONS WHICH CURRENTLY RESULT IN A LEGAL IMMIGRANT’S STATUS BEING INVALIDATED BECAUSE OF GAPS IN VISA REQUIREMENTS ESPECIALLY NEED TO BE LOOKED AT, HE ADDED.
HE ALSO PRAISED NEW YORK FINANCIER AND PHILANTHROPIST GEORGE SOROS’S GIFT OF $50 MILLION TO HELP LEGAL IMMIGRANTS HIT BY THE NEWLY ENACTED WELFARE REFORM LAW. “THESE FUNDS ARE INTENSELY NEEDED,” HE SAID, “AND I HOPE THAT SOME PART WILL GO FOR EDUCATION AND INFORMATION ON IMMIGRATION ISSUES.”
MR. BUFFENSTEIN MAY BE REACHED BY CALLING (404) 815-2232; FAX, (404) 815-2424.