Mexico applauds new immigration bill

• Tweet

MEXICO CITY, May 12 (UPI) -- The Mexican secretary of foreign relations applauded a new immigration bill introduced Thursday in the U.S. Congress.

"According to the preliminary information that we have, this initiative...supports substantive elements and distinct aspects of the migratory problem that reflect a serious interest and a political determination to adopt a balanced and integral focus on the treatment of the migratory issue and to tackle the issue of security from a wider context," Foreign Minister Luis Ernesto Derbez's office said in a statement.

Under the "Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act," introduced in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA), Rep. Jim Kolbe (R-AZ), Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), foreign citizens could apply for low-paying jobs from abroad unoccupied by Americans. If the migrant worker lost his job, he would have 60 days to find a new one or return home.

The proposal contains provisions for illegal immigrants to apply for temporary work permits to remain in the United States for up to six years. The requirements include criminal background checks, an English language test and a $2,000 fee.