Last Minute Immigration Moves by Congress

The lame-duck Republican Congress did not completely ignore immigration in its last days.  Congress passed measures to 1) extend a program that offers 500 non-immigrant visas for nurses working in medically unserved areas, 2) extend a program that placed American-trained foreign physicians in medically unserved areas, and 3) broaden the categories of athletes elible for the non-immigrant performer (P) visa.  Congress was not so positive on employment issues such as raising the H-1B and employment-based immigrant visa quotas, failing to address these items altogether.  Much remains to be achieved in 2007.  We’ll soon see if the new Democratic leadership is up to the task.