Tech firms and groups were instrumental in creating a coalition to push for comprehensive immigration reform.
But now that that effort appears uncertain, will the tech companies and their advocacy groups back individual bills that directly address Silicon Valley’s needs?
With Republicans now running both chambers of Congress, tech may play its cards differently in the coming year.
Two bipartisan bills that address the skilled side of the immigration issue were re-introduced in the Senate, as the Wall Street Journal reported.
The Immigration Innovation Act, or I-Squared Act, would increase the number of temporary skilled work visas available up to 195,000, triple the annual 65,000 currently allotted. Sens. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Amy Klobuchar, D- Minn., are among the measure’s six backers.
In December, Hatch met wtih Apple CEO Tim Cook and Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s chief executive, reported.
The Startup Act would introduce an “entrepreneur’s visa” for foreign nationals to start companies in the U.S. (There has been a Startup Act 2.0 and a Startup Act 3.0. But this current bill will just be The Startup Act.)
“Congress makes a mistake when it tries to do everything in one piece of legislation,” Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, one of the backers of one bill, told the Wall Street Journal. “Just because we can’t do everything doesn’t mean we can’t do some things.”
Meanwhile, Republicans in the House are passing legislation to roll back President Barack Obama’s executive order last year on immigration reforms.
. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)