A Major Overhaul
The Federal Election in 2012 has made it apparent to many people in the United States that improving the U.S. immigration system is absolutely necessary.
These changes could impact the Green Card Lottery quite a lot.
Many people in the U.S. care deeply about this subject and it may have even had a real impact on the outcome of the election.
Politicians in the United States tend to fall into one of two fields depending on their political affiliation:
- Liberals believe that a pathway to legal status for undocumented immigrants is important.
- Conservatives believe that sealing the borders to any further undocumented immigrants is the most important.
Both factions seem willing to compromise, but the real question is how much will they compromise on these topics? In the end it is a matter of wait-and-see.
A Path to Permanent Residency
Currently, there is no real pathway to permanent residency (or Green Card status) for undocumented immigrants in the U.S.
As the system stands now, undocumented immigrants would have to leave the U.S. for as much as a decade to be able to apply for legal entry into the U.S.
For those immigrants already somewhat established in the country, this bar could result in an almost insurmountable hardship.
Liberal politicians are proposing a way for these already established immigrants in the U.S. to gain permanent Residency.
Increased Enforcement
Conservatives have expressed interest in granting a special pathway to permanent residency for undocumented immigrants provided that the government does a better job of keeping people from crossing the border illegally.
This would include the building of a fence and personnel heavy infrastructure near the areas of the borders where the largest number of illegal immigrants comes into the U.S.
One proposed plan also takes into account a certain amount of budget funds for prosecuting criminal undocumented immigrants in the U.S.