2020: Voted against H.R. 2214 to preserve the presidents authority on immigration Rep. Amash voted against H.R. 2214, the NO BAN Act, introduced by Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.), that would significantly limit executive authority from being used to prevent future border surges. The bill would restrict the use of 1182(f) that allows the President to suspend immigration for national security reasons and nullify Pres. Trumps executive orders aimed at preventing border surges.

2012: Voted in favor of legislation to end the visa lottery in (Smith) Rep. Amash voted in favor of H.R. 6429, the STEM Jobs Act of 2012. This bill cancels the visa lottery program and transfers the visas to STEM categories. The visa lottery prgram grants 55,000 visa annually on a random basis to new immigrants. The bills sponsor is Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Tex.). The legislation passed 245-139. (30 Nov. 2012, 11:39 AM).

2012: Voted in favor of legislation to end the visa lottery (Smith) Rep. Amash voted in favor of H.R. 6429, the STEM Jobs Act of 2012. This bill cancels the visa lottery program, and transfers the 55,000 yearly visas that would have been granted through the visa lottery into two new priority categories (doctorate and masters degree) under 203(b). For the first two fiscal years of the program, unused visas for which petitions or applications for labor certification have been filed will be added to the total visas for the next fiscal year. Following the first two years, remaining unused visas do not transfer to the next fiscal year. Further, student visas are reformed by adding a new STEM-based F-Visa subsection. This allows for new F-Visa applicants who are pursuing a degree in a STEM category to apply without the previously necessary intent to retain their residence in their home country. The bill received a vote of 257-158, but failed to pass the House because a 2/3rds vote was required for passage. The legislations main sponsor is Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas).

2020: Voted against H.R 133, the Consolidated Appropriations Act on House floor Sen. Amash voted against H.R. 133, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, that would weaken interior enforcement and increase foreign worker visas. The bill reduced funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement by $431 million. Further, the bill authorized the Departments of Homeland Security and Labor to increase the number of H-2B visas issued during the 2021 fiscal year.

2020: Voted against H.R. 6800, the Heroes Act, to prevent unnecessary foreign workers Rep. Amash voted against H.R. 6800, the Heroes Act, introduced by Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.). The legislation would automatically renew all nonimmigrant work permits that would have expired during the Covid-19 national emergency for a length of time equal to original visa. Further, it would also fast-track the admission of foreign health care workers and increase the number of green cards issued each year for the next 3 years by 4,000 for the importation of foreign doctors and nurses.

2019: Voted against H.R. 5038, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, to expand low-skilled legal immigration Rep. Amash voted against H.R. 5038, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, introduced by Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.). The legislation would have granted amnesty to approximately 1.5 million illegal farm workers and their families, while waiving many inadmissibility restrictions. It also would have expanded the H-2A guest worker program by setting aside 20,000 visas for year-round work traditionally held by American workers. Further, it would have created 40,000 new green cards for longtime H-2A workers and other low-skilled foreign workers.

2019: Voted against H.R. 1865, the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, to prevent H-2B increases Rep. Amash voted against H.R. 1865, the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, that provides funding for the federal government for FY2020. H.R. 1865 included a provision that authorizes the Department of Homeland Security to nearly double the available H-2B visas for the remainder of FY 2020. Under the same provision, DHS added an additional 30,000 H-2Bs in FY 2019.

2019: Voted against the omnibus spending bill, H.J. Res. 31, to increase H-2B visas Sen. Amash voted against H.J.Res. 31, the omnibus spending bill. The bill allows for the Secretary of Homeland Security to increase the number of H-2B guest worker visas issued in FY2019.

2017: Cosponsored legislation to increase foreign worker numbers in 2017 (Roskam) Rep. Amash sponsored H.R. 2106, the Partner with Korea Act. This legislation would create 150,000 non-immigrant work visas designated for citizens of South Korea under the E-4 visa program. The work permits are an addition to current levels. The bills main sponsor is Rep. Pete Roskam (R-Ill.).

2015: Voted against the FY2016 Omnibus Spending bill to increase foreign guest workers Rep. Amash voted against H.R. 2029, the Omnibus Spending bill for 2016. This legislation would increase the number of H-2B low-skilled, non-agricultural guest worker visas issued in 2016 from 66,000 to 264,000. The legislation would exempt foreign workers who had received an H-2B visa in any of the past three years from the 2016 cap.

2015: Voted against granting the President authority to expand immigration levels without Congress consent via Trade Promotion Authority (TPA)‚ Rep. Amash voted in favor against final passage of Trade Promotion Authority bill, H.R. 2146‚ (NOTE: in order to pass TPA the House of Representatives split the original bill Senate-passed bill H.R. 1314 into two bills, one dealing with Trade Promotion Authority and one dealing with the TransPacific Partnership. As a result, when the legislation came back to the Senate for a final vote, the Senate had to attach the TPA language to another House-originated bill, H.R. 2146 and vote to pass that legislation). This legislation sets up fast-track procedures for the passage of trade deals negotiated by the president. Although Ambassador Froman, the U.S. Trade Representative, repeatedly assured Members of Congress that the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) will not include immigration provisions that require the United States to change its laws, the Living Agreement provision of TPP means by its very terms that President Obama, or his successor, can change the provisions of the agreement however he chooses with no input whatsoever from Congress and regardless of what TPA instructs‚ H.R. 2146 passed the House by a vote of 218-208.

2015: Voted against the FY2016 Omnibus Spending bill to increase refugee resettlement Rep. Amash voted against H.R. 2029, the Omnibus Spending bill for 2016. This legislation would fully fund the refugee resettlement program and include increases in funding to accommodate Pres. Obamas proposal to resettle an additional 10,000 Syrian refugees in the United States in 2016.

2019: Cosponsored H.R. 2537 to grant amnesty to Iraqi nationals Rep. Amash cosponsored H.R. 2537, the Deferred Removal for Iraqi Nationals Including Minorities Act, introduced by Rep. Andy Levin (D-Mich.), that would grant deferred action to Iraqi nationals living in the United States.

2020: Voted against H.R. 6800, the Heroes Act, to prevent a temporary amnesty for illegal workers Rep. Amash voted against H.R. 6800, the Heroes Act, introduced by Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.). The legislation would have granted deferred action and work authorization to approximately 2 million illegal aliens currently working in occupations that are considered to be critical infrastructure work.

2019: Voted against H.R. 5038, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, to grant amnesty to illegal farm workers Rep. Amash voted against H.R. 5038, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, introduced by Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.). The legislation would have granted amnesty to approximately 1.5 million illegal farm workers and their families, while waiving many inadmissibility restrictions. It also would have expanded the H-2A guest worker program by setting aside 20,000 visas for year-round work traditionally held by American workers. Further, it would have created 40,000 new green cards for longtime H-2A workers and other low-skilled foreign workers.

2019: Voted against H.R. 6 mass amnesty on House floor Rep. Amash voted against H.R. 6 on the House floor that would have granted amnesty to approximately 4 million illegal aliens. The legislation included the Dream Act, which would have allowed 3.2 million illegal aliens who claim to have entered the country before their 18th birthday and meet certain other requirements to receive amnesty. The legislation also included an amnesty for at least 430,000 foreign citizens (mostly illegal aliens) from countries that have been given Temporary Protected Status (TPS). The bill passed the House by a vote on 237-to-187.

2017: Cosponsored legislation granting amnesty to illegal aliens (Coffman) Rep. Amash cosponsored H.R> 496, the BRIDGE Act. This legislation would codify Pres. Obamas unconstitutional executive DACA amnesty by granting provisional protected presence status to illegal aliens who received the DACA amnesty or who would qualify for DACA. The bills main sponsor is Rep. Mike Coffman (R-Col.).

2016: Voted for King amendment to FY17 defense spending bill to block amnesty for DACA recipients Rep. Amash voted in favor of Rep. Steve Kings amendment to the FY17 Defense Appropriations bill. The King amendment would have prohibited funds from being used by the Department of Defense to enlist DACA recipients into the military. The amendment failed 207-214.

2016: Voted in favor of the Gosar amendment to FY17 defense spending bill to block amnesty for DACA recipients Rep. Amash voted for Rep. Paul Gosars amendment to the FY17 Defense Appropriations bill. The Gosar amendment would have prohibited funds from being used by the Department of Defense to enlist DACA recipients into the military through the MAVNI program. The amendment failed 210-211.

2015: Voted in favor of Brooks amendment to remove military amnesty from National Defense Authorization Act Rep. Amash voted in favor of an amendment by Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) to strip an amnesty provision from the National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 1735). The provision stripped by the Brooks Amendment would have encouraged the Secretary of Defense to waive military enlistment requirements for illegal aliens who received amnesty through Pres. Obamas Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The Brooks Amendment passed 221-to-202.

2015: Voted AGAINST funding Executive Amnesties by opposing clean DHS Appropriations bill, H.R. 240 Rep. Amash voted against final passage of H.R. 240, the DHS funding bill passed by the Senate which did not include riders to stop President Obamas unconstitutional Executive Amnesties. Although the House had originally passed H.R. 240 with these riders, the Senate stripped them out, thus fully funding the Executive Amnesties through September 2015. When the House voted on the bill as returned from the Senate, Sen. Amash firmly opposed Executive Amnesty by voting against final passage (and consequently for a temporary shut down of DHS). Funding the Presidents illegal amnesties not only made Congress complicit in the Presidents lawless behavior, it also undermined the lawsuit filed by 26 states to stop implementation of the amnesties. If Congress is unwilling to fight to protect its own legislative powers, why should the courts fight on Congresss behalf? The bill passed by a vote of 257-167.

2015: Voted in favor of Aderholt Amendment to H.R. 240 to defund Pres. Obamas Nov. 2014 amnesty Rep. Amash voted in favor of the Aderholt Amendment to H.R. 240, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2015. The Aderholt Amendment would defund implementation of all Obama and DHS November 2014 memoranda; defund 4 of the 5 Morton Memos that deal with prosecutorial discretion and detail who ICE agents can and cant deport; and prohibit federal benefits from being given to any illegal alien covered by the November memoranda. The Aderholt Amendment passed by a vote of 237-190.

2015: Voted in favor of Blackburn Amendment to H.R. 240 to defund Pres. Obamas DACA amnesty Rep. Amash voted in favor of the Blackburn Amendment to H.R. 240, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2015. The Blackburn Amendment would defund the processing of applications and renewals of President Obamas 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, thus making it impossible for DACA recipients to continue to receive legal status. The Blackburn Amendment passed by a vote of 218-209.

2014: Voted in favor of legislation to end DACA (Blackburn) Rep. Amash voted in favor of H.R. 5272, legislation introduced by Rep. Marsha Blackurn to defund DACA. The bill represents a serious effort to address the true cause of the current border crisis: President Obamas contempt for immigration law. The bills language prevents the Obama Administration from expanding the existing illegal DACA amnesty program by using the primary power the Constitution reserves for the House of Representatives, the power of the purse. It prohibits the use of federal funds or resources for any further deferred action or work authorization for illegal aliens. The bill passed 216-192-1 (1 August 2014).

2013: Voted in favor of King Amdt to DHS Appropriations bill to prevent amnesty by prosecutorial discretion Rep. Amash voted in favor of the King amendment to the FY2014 DHS Appropriations Bill (H.R. 2217). This amendment would have prohibited the Department of Homeland Security from using funds appropriated by Congress to finalize, implement, administer, or enforce the Morton Memos. The Morton Memos were a series of three memos issued in 2011 that authorized the use of prosecutorial discretion and/or deferred action to provide amnesty to certain illegal aliens, particularly those brought here as children by their illegal alien parents. The amendment, offered by Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), passed by a 224-201 vote (6 June 2013).

2020: Voted against the Motion to Recommit H.R. 6800, the Heroes Act, to protect stimulus checks for illegal aliens Rep. Amash voted against the motion to recommit H.R. 6800, the Heroes Act. The motion would remove a provision in the legislation that would allow illegal aliens to retroactively receive the $1,200 stimulus checks that were issued to citizens and legal permanent residents in the CARES Act during the Covid-19 national emergency.

2020: Voted against H.R. 6800, the Heroes Act, to prevent stimulus checks for illegal aliens Rep. Amash voted against H.R. 6800, the Heroes Act, introduced by Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.). The legislation would have allowed illegal aliens to receive economic stimulus checks and required most illegal aliens in detention to be released unless their detention was required by law.

2017: Voted in favor of legislation to prevent illegal aliens receiving health insurance subsidies Rep. Amash voted in favor of H.R. 2581, the Verify First Act. This legislation would require the Social Security Administration or the Department of Homeland Security to verify that every applicant for a healthcare exchange credit is a citizen or eligible alien before the Treasury Department could issue the tax credit. The bills main sponsor is Rep. Lou Barletta (R-Pa.).

2014: Voted in favor of the Gohmert amendment to prevent housing subsides for illegal aliens Rep. Amash voted in favor of the Gohmert amendment to H.R. 4745, the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, of 2015. The amendment would have reduced funding to HUD for an amount equal to what has been spent in the past on Section 8 housing for illegal aliens. The amendment failed 160-266.

2020: Voted in favor of H.R. 5581, the Access to Counsel Act, to hamper border security Rep. Amash voted in favor of H.R. 5581, the Access to Counsel Act, introduced by Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.). The legislation would require adequate time to access counsel for all aliens referred for secondary inspection at ports of entry. In doing so, it would slow down processing at ports of entry and redirect resources that could otherwise be used for border security.

2012: Voted against an amendment to hamstring border enforcement in 2012 (Grijalva) Rep. Amash voted against the Grijalva amendment to H.R. 2578, legislation to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. This amendment would have stripped provisions that allow the Border Patrol to bypass regulations put in place by the Department of Interior and Department of Agriculture on federal lands within 100 miles of the border. The amendments sponsor is Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and it failed 177-247 (19 June 2012).

2012: Opposed an amendment to place cell towers on the border (Poe) Rep. Amash opposed the Poe Amendment to the FY2013 DHS Appropriations Bill. This amendment would allocate funding for the building of cell phone towers along stretches of the U.S. - Mexico border so that Border Patrol agents and others in trouble can call law enforcement for assistance. The amendment passed by a vote of 302-113 (6 June 2012).

2011: Opposed an amendment to build cell phone towers along the U.S. - Mexico border (Poe) Rep. Amash opposed the Poe Amendment to the FY 2012 DHS Appropriations Bill. This amendment would allocate funding for the building of cell phone towers along stretches of the U.S. - Mexico border so that Border Patrol agents and others in trouble can call law enforcement for assistance. The amendment passed by a vote of 327-93 (1 June 2011).

2020: Voted against H.R 133, the Consolidated Appropriations Act on House floor Sen. Amash voted against H.R. 133, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, that would weaken interior enforcement and increase foreign worker visas. The bill reduced funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement by $431 million. Further, the bill authorized the Departments of Homeland Security and Labor to increase the number of H-2B visas issued during the 2021 fiscal year.

2019: Voted against H.R. 5038, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, to weaken interior enforcement Rep. Amash voted against H.R. 5038, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, introduced by Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.). The legislation would have granted amnesty to approximately 1.5 million illegal farm workers and their families, while waiving many inadmissibility restrictions. It also would have expanded the H-2A guest worker program by setting aside 20,000 visas for year-round work traditionally held by American workers. Further, it would have created 40,000 new green cards for longtime H-2A workers and other low-skilled foreign workers.

2019: Voted against H.R. 1158, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, to prevent weakening interior enforcement Rep. Amash voted against H.R. 1158, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, that provides funding for the federal government for FY2020. H.R. 1158 effectively prohibits ICE from cooperating with Health and Human Services to detain or remove illegal alien sponsors of unaccompanied alien children (UACs).

2019: Voted against H.R. 3401, the border crisis supplemental funding bill that would have facilitated the continued trafficking of children along the Southern border Rep. Amash voted against H.R. 3401 on the House floor. The bill failed to include payroll funding for Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers who are dealing with the ongoing border crisis. The bill also lacked funding for additional detention space and failed to address the root causes of the border surge, guaranteeing the need for future spending bills.

2019: Voted against H.R. 6 to oppose weakening enforcement on House floor Rep. Amash voted against H.R. 6 on the House floor that would have granted amnesty to approximately 3.6 million illegal aliens. The legislation would grant amnesty to approximately to illegal aliens prima facia, meaning it suspends interior enforcement during the time the amnesty is being granted. The bill passed the House by a vote on 237-to-187.

2019: Voted against the omnibus spending bill, H.J. Res. 31, to weaken interior enforcement Sen. Amash voted against H.J.Res. 31, the omnibus spending bill. The bill reduces the funding for detention beds used by ICE to detain criminal aliens and recent illegal border crossers. It also provides protection from enforcement and removal for the illegal-alien sponsors and their families of unaccompanied alien children who cross the border illegally. Further, it prevents the hiring of any new ICE agents for Enforcement and Removal Operations.

2014: Voted in Favor of Amendment to Investigate Release of Illegal Aliens Rep. Amash voted in favor of the King amendment to H.R. 4660, the Commerce, Science, and Justice Appropriations Bill. This amendment would appropriate $5 million for the Justice Department to investigate the release of 36,007 illegal aliens with criminal convictions by DHS. The amendment passed 218-193.

2014: Voted in favor of amendment to deprive sanctuary cities of funds Rep. Amash voted in favor of the King amendment to H.R. 4460, the Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Bill. This amendment would deprive sanctuary cities of funds due to them from enforcing federal immigration laws. Sanctuary cities are localities that do not notify federal authorities when illegal aliens are arrested, thereby acting as safe harbors for illegal aliens. The amendment passed 214-194.

2012: Voted in favor of an amendment to protect the 287(g) program (Sullivan) Rep. Amash voted in favor of the Sullivan amendment to the FY2013 DHS Appropriations Bill. The amendment would prohibit the Department of Homeland Security from terminating 287(g) agreements. The amendment, offered by Rep. John Sullivan (R-Ok.), passed by a 250-164 vote (7 June 2012).

2011: Supported an amendment to keep violent illegal aliens in custody (Cravaack) Rep. Amash supported the Cravaack Amendment to the FY 2012 DHS Appropriations Bill. Rep. Cravaacks amendment would prevent the government from releasing convicted violent or dangerous illegal aliens while they are awaiting deportation. The amendment passed 289-131 (2 June 2011).

2011: Opposed an amendment to defund the 287(g) program (Polis) Rep. Amash opposed the Polis Amendment to H.R. 2017, the FY2012 DHS Appropriations Bill. Rep. Polis amendment would have removed all funding for the 287(g) program from the bill, thereby preventing DHS from administering the program (effectively killing the 287(g) program). The amendment failed by a vote of 313-107 (2 June 2011).

2011: Voted in favor of an amendment to increase 287(g) funding (Royce) Rep. Amash voted in favor of the Royce Amendment to H.R. 2017, the FY2012 DHS Appropriations Bill. This amendment would increase funding for the 287(g) program by $1 million (about 18.5%). The amendment passed by a vote of 268-151 (1 June 2011).