[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 136 (Thursday, August 16, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S5690]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                FAIRNESS FOR HIGH-SKILLED IMMIGRANTS ACT

  Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, today I lend my support to the Fairness for 
High-Skilled Immigrants Act to ensure the equality of opportunity for 
all.
  Throughout our history, America has been committed to opening its 
doors to those who wished to build a new life here; yet, despite being 
``the land of opportunity,'' the laws that we have had in place have 
left many families seeking a better life in limbo. Over the last 2 
years, the crisis has reached new levels of inhumanity as this 
administration irresponsibly ended the Deferred Action for Childhood 
Arrivals, DACA, program and ripped families apart at our borders.
  This legislation should be considered in the context of a more 
comprehensive bill which would also address the pressing issues of DACA 
and family separation. It will be an important piece of the puzzle that 
will hopefully put us on a path to changing the unfair laws that are 
currently in place and once again makeAmerica a place of possibility 
for all. The Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act makes important 
and long overdue changes that will create a more equitable employment-
based immigration system. This system will distribute green cards based 
not on the applicant's country of birth, but on his or her skills. It 
will slowly get rid of the employment-based country caps and instead 
create an evenhanded ``first come, first serve'' system for equally 
qualified, highly skilled immigrants.
  This legislation is an important step towards more comprehensive 
immigration reform. The system as it is now is rigged and unfair. I 
hope that we can begin to move towards a more comprehensive bill and a 
brighter future where America is once again, without a doubt, the land 
of opportunity.

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