The Immigration Bill Of 2007

The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007, or, in its full name, the Secure Borders, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Reform Act of 2007 was an immigration bill discussed in the 110th United States Congress that would have provided legal status and a path to legal citizenship for the approximately 12 million illegal immigrants currently residing in the United States.

The immigration bill was portrayed as a compromise between legalization of illegal immigrants and increased border enforcement. The immigration bill included funding for 300 miles of vehicle barriers, 105 camera and radar towers, and 20,000 more Border Patrol agents, while simultaneously restructuring visa criterion around high skill workers.

The immigration bill was introduced in the United States Senate on May 9, 2007, but was never voted on, though a series of votes on amendments and cloture took place. The last vote on cloture, on June 28, failed 46-53, effectively ending the immigration bill's chances.

The immigration bill would have created a new class of visa, the "Z visa" that would be given to everyone who was living illegally in the United States on Jan. 1, 2007. This type of visa would give its holder the legal right to remain in the United States for the rest of their life, and access to a Social Security number. After a period of eight years, the holder of a Z visa would be eligible for a United States Permanent Resident Card if they wanted to have one.

The immigration bill would have required such an immigrant to be in their home country when they apply for their green card.

The immigration bill would have also ended so-called "chain migration", in which an immigrant who becomes a United States citizen can ease the process by which their relatives from outside the country can get green cards.