Posted on 04/03/2006 5:02:42 PM PDT by Aetius
Monday, April 3, 2006 5:06 p.m. EDT Sen. Alexander: Vouchers to Learn English
Legal immigrants fluent in English could become U.S. citizens in four years rather than five under a proposal that could become part of a broad immigration bill.
The proposal by Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., was at the top of the agenda as the Senate began a second week of debate Monday on tightening U.S. borders against illegal immigrants, increasing penalties on employers who hire them and on whether to let more than 11 million undocumented aliens stay or make them leave at some point.
An estimated 7.2 million legal permanent residents have lived in the United States long enough to become Americans, according to the Homeland Security Department's Citizenship and Immigration Services office. The wait to become an American is five years, three years if the legal permanent resident marries a U.S. citizen.
Reasons that officials give for permanent residents not seeking citizenship include not speaking English well enough, an inability to pay the fee and not wanting to forfeit citizenship in their native country.
Alexander says a shorter naturalization wait might motivate more green card holders to seek U.S. citizenship.
"After we secure our borders, after we create a legal status for foreigners who work here and study here, the third indispensable step is to help prospective citizens become Americans," Alexander said.
His legislation would provide up to $500 in vouchers to immigrants to pay for English courses and grants to groups that provide classes in U.S. history and civics.
Advocates say long lines of immigrants are trying to sign up for English as a Second Language classes, but there is little money available for groups that want to provide the classes.
Tougher immigration issues await Senate action, namely proposals to let illegal immigrants work toward citizenship and to create guest worker programs backed by Bush.
"Part of securing our borders is moving forward on a guest worker program, because that will relieve pressure off the border," said Scott McClellan, Bush's press secretary. "It will allow our Border Patrol agents to focus on the criminals and the terrorists, the smugglers and traffickers that are trying to come into this country for the wrong reasons."
Also Monday, a Senate panel wrestled with how to reduce a backlog of immigration cases in federal appeals courts. Most of the appeals involve people seeking asylum or those who are refugees. The appeals have risen from 1,723 cases in 2000 to 12,349 in 2005.
Sen. Lamar Alexander's amendment is S1815.
It all comes down to one's philosophy of what immigration policy should be. I think it should be like all other public policies; i.e. set with the goal of benefitting existing Americans (I know that's naive and idealistic, but it should be the goal).
I'll gladly help pay for the english classes in exchange for a sealed border and a aggressive deportation policy.
I'll pay for the vouchers, but only if they use 'em in Mexico.
You'll get the right to pay for the first one, the second and third you will not get.
In Arizona this funding for teaching English in the schools is supposed to cost $4600. Nuts.
We will if we keep the fire on the feet of this politicians.
Of course. Lamar is probably being bribed lobbied with campaign contributions by entities geared up to offer these "classes." Fake completion certificates will be a cost borne by the consumer, though.
More business welfare.
Chances are the "teaching" will end up farmed out to some advocacy group which will of course report one hundred percent success while absorbing a good chunk of taxpayer change--
Nothing, nada, zero, zilch unless and until the borders are sealed and then, maybe, we'll talk. I've let Alexander's office know that he'll never get another vote from this Tennessean.
Seems like something church groups could do.
Get Cardinal Mahoney behind it
AMEN
Might I also add they start class with the Pledge too.
What about??? every new immigrant to the US must complete 2 years of military service, as we need workers in domestics, supply, peeling potatoes...etc? BEFORE he is granted a temporary worker's pass as a prerequisite to gaining citizenship.
I agree. This would just turn into another way to scam American taxpayers.
Absolutely.
500 bucks to learn another language? What are we buying here, a CD from the Video Professor?
That hypocrite won't do it. It's US, you see, who he expects to pay for HIS cause celebres. Mahoney is an "It Takes a Village" idiot.
I see not many people here are being fooled. I wonder how it's working with the rest of the population. By the way, was it Lamar who brought us TennCare?
"Reasons that officials give for permanent residents not seeking citizenship include not speaking English well enough, an inability to pay the fee and not wanting to forfeit citizenship in their native country."
I like that last reason.
Gold medal response. Come to think of it, you get the bronze and silver as well. SLAM DUNK.............
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