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Home ยป News ยป News ยป “They should have a green card stapled to their diploma”: Angus King Sponsors Bill to Remove Green Card Cap for Immigrant STEM Graduates
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“They should have a green card stapled to their diploma”: Angus King Sponsors Bill to Remove Green Card Cap for Immigrant STEM Graduates

Edward TomicBy Edward TomicJanuary 31, 2024Updated:January 31, 202413 Comments2 Mins Read1K Views
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Independent U.S. Senator from Maine Angus King announced Wednesday that he is cosponsoring legislation that would remove the green card cap for immigrants who have graduated with certain advanced science and technology degrees from U.S. educational institutions.

[RELATED: Maine Senators Announce More Than 64,000 Supplemental Temporary Work Visas for Foreign Nationals…]

The “Keep STEM Talent Act of 2023” would grant immigrant Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) degree-holders who have American job offers with lawful permanent resident (LPR) status in the U.S.

Granting noncitizen STEM graduates at the master’s level or higher with LPR status would exempt them from current numerical limitations on employment-based green green cards.

โ€œI agree with those who say when a bright young mind walks across a stage and graduates from Americaโ€™s universities with a science-related degree, they should have a green card stapled to their diploma to immediately contribute to Americaโ€™s tech sector, Sen. King said Wednesday.

King said the legislation would help “support U.S. research in those key science and technology industries.”

“We must continue working together to help advanced degree holders, like those from the University of Maine system, obtain resident status, while supporting emerging tech industries that are eager for top talent,” King said.

[RELATED: Mills Admin, Nonprofits, and Big Biz Back New Migrant Resettlement Agency for Maine…]

The bill would also allow dual intent, meaning the noncitizen STEM degree students would not lose their student visa status if they are sponsored by an employer for a green card.

Additionally, the “Keep STEM Talent Act” would require “rigorous vetting” of noncitizen advanced STEM degree students prior to being approved for a student visa, in order to “address any national security or counterintelligence concerns.”

If passed, the bill would also require that employers sponsoring foreign STEM graduates pay their hired workers at higher than the median wage level for the occupational classification in the given area of employment.

The bipartisan legislation is cosponsored by Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.).

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Edward Tomic

Edward Tomic is a reporter for The Maine Wire based in Southern Maine. He grew up near Boston, Massachusetts and is a graduate of Boston University. He can be reached at [email protected]

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Connorโ€™s life on the lam
Connorโ€™s life on the lam
2 years ago

Great Idea! Physicist of Iranian (Aryan) descent support this!

-2
FJMills
FJMills
2 years ago

Letโ€™s go one step further and allow them to run for state senator. Heโ€™s pretty open to giving your job away letโ€™s see how he likes it. Vote for king then send your children to war.

7
Paco
Paco
2 years ago

Who are these people ? Why are better at stem than American students ? Our trash culture maybe. Teachers unions that are not doing their job ?
Not is King.

0
ME Infidel
ME Infidel
2 years ago

My first reaction is, will these students be vetted for security purposes? There are over 400,000 Chinese National โ€œstudentsโ€ in out country and I have no doubt theyโ€™re here with permission from the CCP.

Secondly, why arenโ€™t our universities churning out more STEM graduates? Are they too busy focusing on DEI, Gender Studies and other useless SJW fake degrees?

King is like Biden. The longer he stays in office the worse he becomes as a โ€œrepresentative of the peopleโ€.

6
SteveL
SteveL
2 years ago

That has to be one of the most ignorant statements I’ve ever heard, but he is a lying leftist. They need to be thoroughly vetted at the very least, and any criminal incident should be a denial. It’s time to tighten up, not lighten up on who is in our country!

5
Steve
Steve
2 years ago

“Make treason a crime again”

5
Mark Wheelin
Mark Wheelin
2 years ago

The censorious tyrant has spoken!
BTW, how did all these Russian bots develop the temerity to speak in his presence again?
The phones are going to be ringing on the 7th floor, and in Silicon valley again tomorrow.
Sen Rex does not suffer dissent!

2
Wooley Moose
Wooley Moose
2 years ago

China King. He was a corrupt governor. Sold out Maine jobs and energy to China. Remember The BIW crane. Thank King for all those money losing windmills scattered across our wonderful Hilltops. He was a lobbyist for Wind turbines after being Governor. Guess who makes wind turbines? CHINA. โ€œKings Smoking some of their weed.โ€

7
Boxcar
Boxcar
2 years ago

Angus Who????

0
Jill Herendeen
Jill Herendeen
2 years ago

AH…so I’m not the ONLY one who’s annoyed w/ King. Anyone else out there wondering whether Maine votes get counted accurately?

4
Sandy
Sandy
2 years ago

We have a large number of farmers ready to go in Maine you know.

1
Neecee
Neecee
2 years ago

Southern Maine gives us horrible representation in DC.

2
Sondra Theobald
Sondra Theobald
1 year ago

I’ve been saying this, about the students here at places like Lincoln Academy in Newcastle. Why would China send students to the U.S. for public h.s. education? Something is wrong.

0
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