The Senate Judiciary Committee is hard at work again today, amending the immigration bill proposed by the Gang of Eight. Tucked away in that legislation is a provision to drop The Green Card Lottery.
Every year that lottery gives roughly 55,000 lucky people from around the world a shot at coming to the US. Last year the program was so popular, almost 8 million people applied.
However, under a Senate compromise, the program would be cut and its available slots would go to a system that looks at skills, education and other criteria for entry into the States.
To understand a little but more about how it works and what's at stake if it goes away, we're joined by Madeleine Sumption, senior policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute.