US Senate reaches compromise on immigration

[Soldier4Christ]

The Senate appeared close to breaking the stalemate on immigration reform with a compromise bill that adopts a more restrictive approach to the 11m illegal immigrants in the US, dividing them into three groups that would face different paths to legal status.

Bill Frist, Senate majority leader, called the proposals "a compromise, a negotiated middle ground has been put on the table which says that these 11m people who are here, undocumented people, illegal immigrants, are not a monolithic group".

The compromise bill proposed by Chuck Hagel and Mel Martinez was expected to be endorsed by President George W. Bush. It was welcomed by Senator John McCain, a leading advocate of immigration reform.

Harry Reid, Senate minority leader, said there were still "some obstacles", but added: "I think we're looking like we will be able to dance this afternoon."

The new bill seeks to avoid the appearance of conferring amnesty on illegal immigrants, allowing only those who have been in the US for more than five years to stay in the country to adjust to legal status. Mr Frist said that he was "optimistic after today's vote that with the Hagel-Martinez proposal we can finish a bill that will make America safer and recognises America's interest in legal immigration".

Arlen Specter, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said the compromise was "not perfect, the choice we have to make is whether the bill is better than no bill".

Failure to pass a Senate bill by the end of the week threatens to torpedo the chances of immigration reform this year. That could fuel a sense of disengagement among the Hispanic community, which has have been galvanised into political action by the debate. More than 500,000 protestors attended a rally in Los Angeles last month - the largest in the city's history. More demonstrations are scheduled for Monday in Washington and across the US.

Under the Republican proposals, illegal immigrants who have been in the US for more than five years – about two thirds of the 11m - could switch to legal status without leaving the country if they met eight requirements, such as speaking English, having worked for at least three of the last five years and paid all federal and state taxes.

Illegal immigrants in the US for between two and five years can secure a temporary work visa, but must first leave the country. They may apply for legal status later, and have priority over other immigrants applying for green cards. Illegal immigrants in the country for fewer than two years must return home and apply for a temporary worker visa.

Democrats earlier on Thursday failed in their effort to cut off debate on a more generous immigration bill from the Senate judiciary committee that had included a less restrictive guest worker programme. The Senate procedural mechanism, known as a cloture vote, failed to secure 60 votes, with 39 in favour and 60 opposed.

[LittlePilgrim]

It isn't like me to scream, but just this once, I'll make an exception...

AAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUGH!!!!!!!

I support President Bush. I respect him as this country's leader. But it really bothers me that neither he nor the congress are listening to the people on this one! Instead they're siding with: Illegals, business, and an uninformed, mainly-liberal minority! 

The new bill seeks to avoid the appearance of conferring amnesty on illegal immigrants, allowing only those who have been in the US for more than five years to stay in the country to adjust to legal status.

Well, I don't know how that ISN'T amnesty! They're still allowing people who have DISRESPECTED OUR LAWS, many of whom do not WISH to become Americans but are merely here for jobs, to STAY! And to JUMP AHEAD in the line of people who are doing things LEGALLY!

Mr Frist said that he was "optimistic after today's vote that with the Hagel-Martinez proposal we can finish a bill that will make America safer and recognises America's interest in legal immigration".

Uh... Excuse me. Mr. First? How will this bill make America safer? What will change? What will make those who have not respected our laws in the past make them respect the laws NOW?

And no, it DOESN'T recognize America's interest in legal immigration BECAUSE (Many of)THE ILLEGALS ARE STILL REWARDED FOR BREAKING OUR LAWS!

Under the Republican proposals, illegal immigrants who have been in the US for more than five years – about two thirds of the 11m - could switch to legal status without leaving the country if they met eight requirements, such as speaking English, having worked for at least three of the last five years and paid all federal and state taxes.

Uh huh. This is JUST what I have been saying. REWARDING those who came to this country illegally just because of their having paid taxes, learning english, and working. That does NOT make them Americans, NOT when they do not have the respect to go through the same process as everyone else!

Illegal immigrants in the US for between two and five years can secure a temporary work visa, but must first leave the country. They may apply for legal status later, and have priority over other immigrants applying for green cards. Illegal immigrants in the country for fewer than two years must return home and apply for a temporary worker visa.

Once again, simply rewarding those who have BROKEN the LAW because of the length of time they've been here. They are allowed to JUMP AHEAD in line, AHEAD of those who are doing things legally. ARGH!

Oh, and let's not forget that this relies almost ENTIRELY on the 'honor system'. We all know how well that's going wo work out. How many 'Illegals' are actually going to step forward and admit their illegal status?! How many are going to be willing to even 'leave the country to apply for a work visa'?!

And in what way does this make us safer?! What does this bill do to stem the flow of illegal immigrants?!

I'm sorry... But on this one, President Bush and the whole of Congress have REALLY screwed up. 

[Soldier4Christ]

I see that you aren't a bit shy on this subject either. 

Yes, they have set a precedence for others to thumb their noses at the law and make their own laws. It is no different than what we see in our courts today and in the raising and dicipline of children. Allowing people to continually get away with disobeying with no consequences to be concernec about.

[LittlePilgrim]

Oh no, Pastor Roger. I'm not a bit shy on this one at all. The government's response to this issue has me royally TICKED OFF!!!!

This is a matter of SECURITY, and what the government has done amounts to little more than election-year, political posturing! They care more about themselves, about THEIR POWER than about the security of THIS NATION! Since they can't seem to decide what to do on their own, I propose that we make this an issue on which the PEOPLE vote! And before the vote, one must PROVE one's legal status as a United States citizen!

[Shammu]

And before the vote, one must PROVE one's legal status as a United States citizen!

Here where I am you have to show a drivers licence in order to vote. Those of another country have a different color licence issued from the state. If you become a naturalized citizen, then you are issued a drivers licence like mine.

[JudgeNot]

"In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the man's becoming in very fact an American, and nothing but an American...

There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

--Theodore Roosevelt, 1919

nuf sed

[Soldier4Christ]

Yep ......

nuf sed

[Soldier4Christ]

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate sidetracked sweeping immigration legislation Friday, leaving in doubt prospects for passing a bill offering the hope of citizenship to millions of men, women and children living in the United States illegally.

A carefully crafted compromise that supporters had claimed could win an overwhelming majority received only 38 of the 60 votes necessary to protect it from weakening amendments by opponents.

Republicans were united in the 38-60 parliamentary vote but Democrats, who have insisted on no amendments, lost six votes from their members.

Democrats and Republicans had been blaming each other Friday for problems stalling the progress of bill.

Scheduled votes to break the logjam failed and both supporters and opponents of the bill will have to wait until Congress returns from a two-week spring recess, if then.

"It's not gone forward because there's a political advantage for Democrats not to have an immigration bill," said Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa.

He said Democrats perceive a benefit in having only a GOP-written House bill that criminalizes being an illegal immigrant. That bill has prompted massive protests across the country, including a march by 500,000 people in Los Angeles last month.

Democrats blamed Republicans for insisting on amendments that would weaken a compromise that Senate leaders in both parties had celebrated Thursday.

"This opportunity is slipping through our hands like grains of sand," said assistant Senate Democratic leader Dick Durbin of Illinois.

President Bush had applauded the Senate's efforts to draft a comprehensive immigration bill. "I would encourage the members to work hard to get the bill done prior to the upcoming break," he said Thursday.

The election-year legislation is designed to enhance border security and regulate the flow of future temporary workers as well as affect the lives of illegal immigrants.

It separates illegal immigrants now in the U.S. into three categories.

Illegal immigrants here more than five years could work for six years and apply for legal permanent residency without having to leave the country. Those here two years to five years would have to go to border entry points sometime in next three years, but could immediately return as temporary workers. Those here less than two years would have to leave and wait in line for visas to return.

The bill also provides a new program for 1.5 million temporary agriculture industry workers over five years. It includes provisions requiring employers to verify they've hired legal workers and calls for a "virtual" fence of surveillance cameras, sensors and other technology to monitor the nearly 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexican border.

The acrimony in the Senate at Thursday night's end was a sharp contrast to the accolades 14 members of both parties traded just hours earlier when they announced their compromise.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist called it tragic "that we in all likelihood are not going to be able to address a problem that directly affects the American people."

The House has passed legislation limited to border security, but Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., and other leaders have signaled their willingness in recent days to broaden the bill in compromise talks with the Senate.

But Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., said anything with what he called amnesty would not get agreement from a majority in the House.

The immigration debate has given the American public a glimpse of what may lay ahead in 2008 GOP presidential politics.

Frist, R-Tenn., a potential presidential candidate in 2008, sought to establish more conservative credentials when he initially backed a bill limited to border security. At the same time, he has repeatedly called for a comprehensive bill - adopting Bush's rhetoric - and involved himself in the fitful negotiations over the past several days.