Strengthening Our Commitment to Legal Immigration and America's Security Act

Bill: 112-s-332
Sponsor: Sen. Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT]
Introduced: 2011-02-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Border security and unlawful immigration
Child health
Computer security and identity theft
Congressional oversight
Consumer credit
Criminal procedure and sentencing
Detention of persons
Drug trafficking and controlled substances
Firearms and explosives
Forests, forestry, trees
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Government studies and investigations
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Health care costs and insurance
Immigrant health and welfare
Immigration status and procedures
Lakes and rivers
Land use and conservation
Latin America
Law enforcement administration and funding
Mexico
Parks, recreation areas, trails
Poverty and welfare assistance
Social security and elderly assistance
Visas and passports
Water use and supply
Women's health

Summary:
action_date: 2011-02-14
text: 
Strengthening Our Commitment to Legal Immigration and America's Security Act - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to permit an alien to be paroled into the United States or granted deferred action of a final order of removal only on a case-by-case basis for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit.
 
 
Requires an eligible state, local law enforcement agency, detention center, or correction facility enrolled in the secure communities program or enrolled to perform immigration law enforcement functions to fully comply with such requirements or functions in order to qualify for incarceration compensation.
 
Makes an alien who the consular officer or the Attorney General knows or has reason to believe is a member of a known criminal organization that regularly engages in transnational criminal activity inadmissible to the United States.
 
 
Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to create a mandatory exit procedure for foreign visitors based upon: (1) the results of U.S. Customs and Border Protection pilot exit programs, and (2) the feasibility and benefits of the departure confirmation systems tested under such programs.
 
Eliminates the diversity visa program. Expresses the sense of Congress that the diversity visa program will be discontinued unless Congress enacts legislation to authorize its continuation with changes to reduce fraud and abuse.
 
 
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to report to Congress annually regarding the total amount of federal welfare benefits provided to each state and households with illegal aliens. 
 
Amends title XXI (Children's Health Insurance Program) (CHIP) of the Social Security Act to permit a state to continue receiving federal matching funds for covering legal immigrant children and legal immigrant pregnant woman if the state: (1) has covered at least 90% of its U.S. citizen/national children eligible for CHIP or Medicaid (title XIX of the Social Security Act) whose family incomes do not exceed 200% of the federal poverty level; and (2) will provide health benefit coverage to lawfully residing immigrant children or lawfully residing immigrant pregnant women that will not be less than the amount of such funds expended in FY2009. 
 
 
Requires the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) with respect to an employee's inaccurate social security number to: (1) notify an employer that such a number has been discovered; (2) if the employer does not correct the number, notify the number holder and request clarification, including the possible fraudulent use of such number; and (3) notify specified federal agencies if the holder fails to reply.
 
Amends the Controlled Substances Act to: (1) increase prison penalties for cultivating or manufacturing controlled substances on federal property; and (2) prohibit a person, while cultivating or manufacturing a controlled substance on federal property, from clear cutting timber or diverting or obstructing a stream or body of water. Increases related penalties under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, including increasing penalties if such violation involves the possession of firearms.
 
Requires the Director of National Drug Control Policy to implement an action plan for keeping controlled substances off federal land.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-02-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2011-02-14
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S684-685)
action_date: 2011-02-14
text: Introduced in Senate