Iowa Senator Tom Harkin says the immigration reform bill is a work in progress, but it looks like the bill is going to include the things he wants. Harkin says the bill is headed in the right direction, but he doesn’t know what amendments will be added and adopted before it comes to a vote.
Harkin, a Democrat, says he’ll reserve judgment until he sees the final version. Senators continue to propose changes to the legislation. Harkin says there was some tightening of the guest worker provision, and that makes it a little easier for him to vote for the bill. But again says he doesn’t know what final amendments will be approved.
Iowa’s other Senator, Chuck Grassley, introduced an amendment to close a loophole that allows aliens with expired visas to stay in the country. Harkin says he wants to see that amendment cleaned up to include some judicial review before someone with an expired visa is automatically expelled.
"Obviously is someone has broken the law and has committed and act of terrorism, or something like that, you bet get him out of here immediately," Harkin says. But he says the way amendment was drafted, anyone who had a revoked visa had to leave. Harkin says there are sometimes beaurocratic mixups. He wants the opportunity for a judge to review the case if there is such a mixup. Harkin says overall it appears the bill will tighten the border and bring the estimated 12-million illegal immigrants "out of the shadows."