Immigrant Rights Groups Urge Passage of Visa Bill
Members of several Los Angeles immigrant rights groups Tuesday called on Congress to resist attempts to water down legislation that would allow an estimated 60% more visas for foreigners to legally live and work in the United States.
The spokesmen said the bill by Rep. Bruce A. Morrison (D-Conn.) is a good way to increase the number of visas granted annually from 500,000 to at least 775,000. It also creates a category for immigrants who have been denied entry because of other immigration policies.
“We want Congress to stand tough on this,” said Vibiana Andrade, regional counsel for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund.
Morrison’s bill is in a conference committee, where Andrade said Sen. Alan K. Simpson (R-Wyo.), author of a similar Senate measure, is trying to gut the House bill. Spokesmen for Simpson declined to comment.
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