The introduction of a comprehensive immigration reform bill has received lukewarm support from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle as well as from industry and some labor groups. Even the bill's authors acknowledge the bill is the first step in the legislative process and that there is room for improvement.
The "Gang of Eight" senators, led by Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.), introduced the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act on April 17. The sweeping 844-page bill calls for strengthening U.S. border security and would require all employers to enroll in the E-Verify system within five years. It also would provide a path to citizenship for undocumented individuals who entered the U.S. before Dec. 31, 2011, and establish a new entity—the Bureau of Immigration and Labor Market Research—to set annual caps for low-skilled workers in various parts of the country.