Sen. Richard Dubrin, D-Ill., makes a point as the Senate Judiciary Committee considers immigration legislation during a mark-up hearing on Capitol Hill Monday, March 27, 2006. (AP Photo/Dennis Cook)
Posted on 03/27/2006 4:08:50 PM PST by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee approved election-year immigration legislation Monday that clears the way for millions of undocumented workers to seek U.S. citizenship without having to first leave the country.
After days of street demonstrations that stretched from California to the gounds of the U.S. Capitol, the committee also voted to strip out proposed criminal penalties for residents found to be in this country illegally.
The panel's vote cleared the way for the full Senate to begin debate Tuesday on the emotional immigration issue.
"All Americans wanted fairness and they got it this evening," said Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (news, bio, voting record), the Massachusetts Democrat who played a pivotal role in drafting the legislation, approved 12-6.
Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., voted for the bill but signaled that some of the provisions could well be changed by the full Senate.
In general, the bill is designed to strengtehn border patrol, create new opportunities for so-called guest workers and determine the legal future of the estimated 11 million immigrants living in the United States illegally.
At several critical popints, committee Democrats were united while Republicans splintered. In general, GOP Sens. Lindsay Graham of South Carolina, Sam Brownback of Kansas and Mike DeWine of Ohio, who is seeking re-election this fall, sided with Democrats.
That gave Democrats a majority that allowed them to shape the bill to their liking.
Sen. Richard Dubrin, D-Ill., makes a point as the Senate Judiciary Committee considers immigration legislation during a mark-up hearing on Capitol Hill Monday, March 27, 2006. (AP Photo/Dennis Cook)
*pours a stiff drink*
This is crap!
I hope those three Republicans never see re-election!
Just heard Major Garrett on Fox say the Frist will not let this bill come to the Senate floor...
We will need to pay them back come November. They all deserve to lose.
Let's see if the tancredo faction in the House will compromise somewhat on a guest worker program as described above, or keep fast to keep the money flowing into their PAC's.
If this legislation has Teddy's approval, it means the rest of the Judicial committee wimped out. Too bad the President does not have the power of the veto....
These people deserve to be dangling from a rope.
Please keep us updated on that.
If we grant amnesty between 25 and 30 million illegal immigrants will take advantage of the opportunity. When that happens, the border will simply cease to exist as millions flood into the U.S.
Kiss your nation good-bye folks. It was nice while it lasted.
No sooner than I posted thread, the article was Updated. Here ya go.
----
WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee approved sweeping election-year immigration legislation Monday that clears the way for 11 million illegal aliens to seek U.S. citizenship without having to first leave the country.
After days of street demonstrations that stretched from California to the grounds of the U.S. Capitol, a coalition of Democrats and Republicans also agreed to strip out proposed criminal penalties for residents found to be in this country illegally.
"All Americans wanted fairness and they got it this evening," said Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (news, bio, voting record), the Massachusetts Democrat who played a pivotal role in drafting the legislation.
The 12-6 vote was unusual, with a majority of Republicans opposed to the measure even though their party controls the Senate.
Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., voted for the bill but signaled that some of the provisions could well be changed by the full Senate once debate begins there Tuesday.
In general, the bill is designed to strengthen the Border Patrol, create new opportunities for so-called guest workers and determine the legal future of the estimated 11 million immigrants living in the United States illegally.
At several critical points, committee Democrats showed unity while Republicans splintered. In general, GOP Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Sam Brownback of Kansas and Mike DeWine of Ohio, who is seeking re-election this fall, sided with Democrats. That created a majority that allowed them to shape the bill to their liking.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif., won approval for a five-year program to permit as many as 1.5 million agriculture workers into the country. "It will provide the agriculture industry with a legal work force and offer agriculture workers a path to citizenship," she said. The vote was 11-5, with Republicans casting all the votes in opposition.
In addition, Kennedy prevailed on a proposal to allow an additional 400,000 green cards for future immigrants, regardless of the industry where they find jobs.
Sen. Jon Kyl (news, bio, voting record), R-Ariz., and other conservatives said anything but a requirement for illegal immigrants to return home amounted to amnesty, and he said he had national opinion on his side.
"Well over 60 percent of Americans in all the polls I see think it's OK to have temporary workers, but you do not have to make them citizens," said Kyl, who is seeking re-election this fall.
"We have a fundamental difference between the way you look at them and the way I look at them," Kennedy observed later.
The committee met as several thousand demonstrators rallied at the foot of the Capitol. Many were members of the clergy who donned handcuffs and sang "We Shall Overcome," the unofficial anthem of the civil rights era.
"The first Christian value is love thy neighbor," read some of the signs.
After a weekend of enormous rallies — as many as 500,000 in Los Angeles — thousands of students walked out of class in California and Texas to protest proposals in Congress to crack down on illegal immigrants.
In Detroit, protesters waved Mexican flags as they marched to a downtown federal office building.
"Do you see the community? Do you see how many people didn't go to work today," asked Janet Padron, a 22-year-old resident of Allen Park Mich.
Her remark underscored one of the complexities confronting Congress and the Bush administration as they grapple with the issue of immigration.
Senators on all sides of the issue agreed that illegal workers hold thousands of jobs that otherwise would go unfilled at the wages offered.
The agriculture industry is "almost entirely dependent on undocumented workers," said Feinstein. "It is unrealistic to think the workers will go home because they work here and the agriculture industry is dependent on them."
In purely political terms, the issue threatened to fracture Republicans as they head into the midterm election campaign — one group eager to make labor readily available for low-wage jobs in industries such as agriculture, construction and meatpacking, the other determined to place a higher emphasis on law enforcement.
That was a split Bush was hoping to avoid after a political career spent building support for himself and his party from the fast-growing Hispanic population.
"America should not have to choose between being a welcoming society and being a lawful society," said the president. "We can be both at the same time."
Bush has said he favors a guest worker program, but it is unclear whether the administration would insist on a provision to require illegal immigrants already in the country to return home before they are allowed to apply for citizenship.
Sen. Arlen Specter (news, bio, voting record), R-Pa., chairman of the committee, said he was "trying to thread the needle" to produce a bill that could command widespread support.
At one point, he outlined a proposed compromise on illegal immigrants and citizenship. Neither Kyl nor Kennedy sounded supportive, though, and it receded as the debate continued.
The panel agreed with ease to double the size of the Border Patrol over the next several years, and decided on a closer vote to make sure that humanitarian organizations are sheltered from prosecution if they provide non-emergency assistance to illegal residents.
Whatever the outcome of the committee's debate the prospects for legislation clearing Congress before the elections did not appear strong. The House has cleared legislation that consists of provisions to toughen enforcement against violators of immigration laws. It contains no guest worker program.
The only Pubbie up for re-election is DeWine and his opponent is sherrod brown(i.e commie).
I'd like to see massive marches in support of the bill to counter the ones held by all the illegals over the weekend.
I'm writing the RNC and cc'ing a bunch of other groups to not expect a dime from me ever again if this legislation passes. Over, finished, through and out.
Ah, now we get to the heart of the matter.
A bill that actually encourages more in the future.
That one point should be hung around every proponent's neck until election day. Repubs will pick up seats.
Hey, this is your sellout CONgress that virtually everyone of you voted for their last election. Thanks to you all we get these POS. Of course, this is no big deal to you FReepers. And GW was the guy that many of you at one time - when some of us told you to beware of - wanted on Mt Rushmore. I AM DONE. THIS REPRESENTS NO GOVERNMENT. IT IS TIME FOR A FULL OUT REVOLUTION. Or sit on your a$$ & let it all crumble.
Nothing was better than this crap!
Would you like the web address of "Fatalistic Drama Queens R Us" to send your resume to?
Damn. I have an extreme dislike for DeWine. This truly is absurd though. Why couldn't we at least get Kyl/Cornyn out of this? What the hell happened???
Yes they do. And I do not want to hear, "A dem would be worse". These three do not deserve their taxpayer funded salaries.
Since you're probably queen for the month over there, no thanks.
It's going to be up to the House to kill this damn thing.
At this point, I'm not even sure a Dem would be worse. Truth be told, I think that Bush is one of the worst Presidents in history, and not just because of this issue. I did, however, expect more from our Congress.
I don't know much about legislative details. How can he stop the bill?
Yes 67% 87505 votes
No 33% 43362 votes
Total: 130867 votes
(current CNN poll)
As I understand it they started with the McCainneddy Shamnesty and amended to also include both the AgJobs Amnesty and the DREAM Act Amnesty.
I believe they also expanded every category of existing guest worker visa and completely uncapped the numbers for nurses and for math and science students to unlimited numbers.
Arlen Spinctor, the smurphy Lindsey Graham and Sam Brownback plus two other Republicans by proxy voted with Teddy Kennedy.
Jon Kyl and Jeff Sessions showed quite a bit of courage bucking the trend. I believe Cornyn also voted against it and given what a huge fan of amnesty he is, you know it is bad!
Sure Dane. Stick with the DUmocrats in attacking the conservative base to get an amnesty passed at the direct detriment to rule-of-law and national sovereignty.
Tancredo has said from the beginning that he will oppose any type of amnesty. The majority of conservatives and republicans side with him on this.
Graham sold us out again.
ping
He won't let it on the floor....he is pushing for a vote on his bill tomorrow...
Good for Frist. We all need to support him.
I hope you're right. Frist will move far up in my estimation if he can keep this bit of treason from ever reaching our idiot President's eager pen.
Uh I ain't the one who posted this, "Kiss your nation good-bye folks. It was nice while it lasted."(your reply #12)
Sheesh talk about being buchanan drama queen supreme.
Ah, actually that's not really a surprise at all.
This is unreal, I'm embarrased by one of my Senator's remarks...
-- Region -- Central North Northwest South Southwest Tampa Bay
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Florida's illegal immigrants at stake
A U.S. Senate bill will weigh on the state's economy and politics.
Written by: Frank Davies | Publication: Orlando Sentinel
March 27, 2006 -
WASHINGTON -- Florida, where thousands of illegal immigrants help fuel a rapidly growing economy, has much at stake next week when the Senate debates major changes to a broken immigration system.
Mel Martinez, the only foreign-born member of the Senate, will play a major role in fashioning a bill that would allow some illegal immigrants to stay and legalize their status.
As a supporter of the Bush administration's guest-worker proposal and the only Hispanic Republican in the Senate, Martinez hopes to nudge some reluctant GOP colleagues to look beyond border security to deal with the nation's estimated 11 million illegal residents.
"Mel Martinez has been a key senator on this issue, and very energetic," said Douglas Rivlin, spokesman for the National Immigration Forum, a leading advocacy group. "He's negotiating with other Republicans and has to deal with strong disagreement from some members of his party."
There are important political elements to this debate, which has sparked protests throughout the country during the past week.
Led by President Bush, Republicans have made inroads in the Hispanic vote in recent elections. Bush seeks a guest-worker program that would allow some illegal workers to stay up to six years, and the subject is likely to come up when he meets Thursday with Mexican President Vicente Fox in Mexico.
But the issue has deeply divided the GOP, and the showdown in the Senate will test Bush's influence in Congress. The immigration bill passed by the U.S. House in December under GOP leadership is seen as draconian by many Hispanics.
House favors tight controls
The House bill toughens enforcement, calls for 700 miles of fences along the border with Mexico, sanctions employers who do not adequately check their workers' status and could lead to the prosecution of anyone, including church groups, who helps an illegal immigrant. It has no provision for temporary workers.
"That's not the Republican Party of President Bush, Jeb Bush and Mel Martinez," Martinez said of the House bill. "We have to have an understanding and respect for all Americans -- and those who want to become Americans."
Martinez and key Republicans such as Sen. John McCain of Arizona will push for a bill in the Senate closer to Bush's position to counter the House measure.
The Judiciary Committee, with a majority favoring some plan to legalize the status of illegal immigrants, meets Monday and may vote out a bill quickly, two staff members said.
Difficult issues remain: Would illegal immigrants have to return to their countries to apply to be legal, temporary workers? Could that be waived if employers vouch for their work? How long could they stay in the United States? What fine or fees would they pay? Would they be eligible for citizenship?
In an election year, some senators want to duck these issues. And some Republicans, especially in the House, say most voters want a crackdown on illegal immigration.
"There's broad public dissatisfaction with any plan that does not start with enforcement," said Steven Camarota, research director for the Center for Immigration Studies, which favors tight controls on immigration.
"People don't want an increase in immigration, and legalizing someone who is illegal just sticks in their craw," Camarota said.
Work-force effect debated
But the reality of illegal immigrants, and their importance to the economy of Florida, is difficult to ignore. The Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association, based in Maitland, estimates that at least half the agricultural work force in the state is illegal, despite employers' efforts to check documents, spokesman Ray Gilmer said.
Camarota estimates there are at least 473,000 illegal workers in Florida, based on census and academic data.
Last year, immigration agents raided the construction site of the new federal building in Orlando and arrested 66 laborers for working illegally.
"Whether you like it or not, many jobs are filled by illegal workers," Martinez recently told the Forum Club in West Palm Beach.
His warning: "Without such a work force, crops will stay in the field, they won't come to market, food prices will go up, and Florida's economy will take a huge hit."
Camarota dismisses that talk as alarmist and said employers would attract more native-born workers to low-skill jobs if they offered better wages, benefits and working conditions.
But Martinez said he is making headway with "John Q. Public" in Florida when he explains how a guest-worker program would function. And he tells his own compelling story of how his family sent him from Cuba at 16 after Castro's revolution, and he lived with foster parents in Central Florida until his own parents could leave.
Martinez said he agrees with conservative columnist David Brooks of The New York Times that the GOP could easily lose Florida, with its diverse Hispanic population, and the Southwest if it is identified with a harsh "enforcement only" approach.
"This is a case where good politics follows good policy," Martinez said in an interview. "And it's smart politics for our party."
Frank Davies can be reached at 202-824-8222 or fdavies@tribune.com.
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
Those republicans are shortsighted and stupid. They just voted for 11 million welfare voters a step closer to draining our coffers dry while sending their welfare check (once cashed) back to Mexico. I am disgusted with the republican party.
That will get him my vote.
Let's see if they would have casted their votes that way IF they were the deciding vote. NO WAY! They all are bought & paid for & this was the typical "Potomac Shuffle". Remember every important issue the "Two-Party Cartel" comes together on. Always at the cost of the taxpaying middle class. So elect these fools again. Be a nice little American & put your bumper sticker on for that great GOP. This is what you have been voting for.
Mine too.
Look who's here folks...it is the chairman of the "Pro-Criminal/Free Trade at all Costs/Open Border Lobby" crowd on FR.
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