Agricultural Employment and Workforce Protection Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-2087
Sponsor: Sen. Chambliss, Saxby [R-GA]
Introduced: 2005-12-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Administrative remedies
Admission of nonimmigrants
Agricultural labor
Agriculture and Food
Alien labor
Armed Forces and National Security
Arrest
Border patrols
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Crime and Law Enforcement
Criminal aliens
Criminal investigation
Criminal justice information
Customs administration
Data banks
Department of Homeland Security
Department of State
Deportation
Detention of persons
Drone aircraft
Federal law enforcement officers
Federal-local relations
Federal-state relations
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Gangs
Government Operations and Politics
Identification devices
Identification of criminals
Illegal aliens
Labor and Employment
Law
Legal aid
Military base closures
Military civic action
Police
Prisons
Recruiting of employees
Science, Technology, Communications
Temporary employment
Visas

Summary:
action_date: 2005-12-13
text: 
Agricultural Employment and Workforce Protection Act of 2005 - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to: (1) prepare and submit to Congress a comprehensive plan, including detailed strategies, timelines, and estimated costs, to establish operational control of U.S. borders and effectively enforce immigration laws within the United States; (2) develop a plan for using Department of Defense (DOD) equipment for surveillance of U.S. international land borders; and (3) increase the number of full-time Customs and Border Protection Officers. Authorizes the Secretary to construct additional land ports of entry to enhance U.S. border security. 
 
Authorizes state or local law enforcement officials to assist in the enforcement of federal immigration laws. 

Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to: (1) require the Secretary to accept custody of illegal aliens held by state or local law enforcement officials; (2) reimburse states and local governments for the costs of holding and transporting such aliens; and (3) make aliens who are members of criminal street gangs ineligible for admission to the United States.

Requires the Secretary to: (1) hire additional personnel to investigate immigration status violations; (2) provide the National Crime Information Center with information on certain classes of illegal aliens; and (3) build or acquire additional alien detention facilities. 

Amends the INA to: (1) revise requirements for the H-2A visa (temporary agricultural workers); (2) establish a cross-border commuter worker program (H-2AA) to allow Canadian and Mexican workers to enter and exit the United States for work purposes each day; and (3) establish a blue card program for undocumented agricultural workers who have at least 1600 hours of agricultural employment in the United States in 2005 and have no criminal record. Allows such workers to work in the United States for two years.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-12-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2005-12-13
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S13504-130505)
action_date: 2005-12-13
text: Introduced in Senate