This week, the US Senate-passed measure to provide additional foreign worker visas for the high-tech and specialty fields was dropped from a budget bill that passed the House early on Dec. 19, disappointing technology and manufacturing companies in search of skilled workers. The Senate plan would have allowed 30,000 more of the popular H-1B visas each year and increased fees for those visas to help trim the budget deficit. House and Senate negotiators also dropped a plan to increase fees on another kind of visa, the L-1, which companies use to transfer to the United States workers they already employ abroad. The boost to H-1B visa numbers and various fees was intended to save money.

Also in the US, the House of Representatives adopted new immigration legislation, including a measure to set up border fences with Mexico. The bill orders the Homeland Security Department to obtain "complete operational control" of US borders within 18 months. In addition to the southwestern fences, it orders the department to study the feasibility of erecting barriers on the border with Canada. The legislation also calls for immigrants in the country illegally to face felony charges and potential jail time. US employers would be required to contact a verification system by phone or through the Internet to ensure that a job applicant's Social Security number matches with one on file in the data bank, to ensure they are not hiring illegal immigrants.

The UK this week became the fifth nation to offer significant benefits to same-sex couples, after the Netherlands in 2001, Belgium in 2003, Canada in June, and Spain in July allowed same-sex couples to legally wed. The South Africa high court ruled in favor of marriage equality in November, though the laws haven't changed yet. Among other new rights, Civil partners gain recognition for immigration purposes.

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