Posted on 05/18/2007 1:28:42 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Senators and the White House clinched a deal Thursday on bringing 12 million illegal immigrants out of the shadows and securing US borders, which could enhance President George W. Bush's legacy.
The pact would provide a path to permanent residency and citizenship for illegal workers, establish a merit-based points system for future immigrants and also establish a temporary worker program.
The bill, which emerged from exhaustive round-the-clock talks, and will be debated in the Senate next week, will provide 18,000 more border patrol agents, and scores of radar and camera towers on the US border with Mexico.
It is aimed at defusing a fiercely polarizing issue in American life and fast-tracking reform before American politics is consumed by partisan rancor in the run up to congressional and presidential elections in 2008.
"I really am anxious to sign a comprehensive immigration bill as soon as I possibly can. Today we took a good step toward that direction," Bush said after lawmakers announced the sweeping agreement.
Earlier, Democratic Senator Edward Kennedy, flanked by key Republicans including presidential candidate John McCain, said the deal was true to America's "humanity and our tradition of a nation of immigrants."
"Politics is the art of the possible and the agreement we just reached is the best possible chance we will have in years to secure our borders, bring millions of people out of the shadows and into the sunshine of America."
The Senate's Democratic Majority leader Harry Reid confirmed debate would start on Monday, but expressed reservations about the pact, hammered out by top senators and key members of Bush's cabinet.
"I have serious concerns about some aspects of this proposal, including the structure of the temporary worker program and undue limitations on family immigration," Reid said.
"We need to improve the bill as it moves through the legislative process."
Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the House of Representatives, which must also pass the bill, echoed Reid's sentiments.
"While the bipartisan Senate agreement starts the process, I have serious concerns about some elements of this proposal -- the bill must be improved in the Senate," she said.
Republican and Democratic aides said the deal was intended to move the US immigration system to a merit-based system, rather than prioritizing claims for extended families of immigrants.
"It is intended to reflect the labor needs of the United States in the 21st century, rather than the 19th century," a senior Republican staffer said on condition of anonymity.
If it becomes law, the bill will set up a seven-part immigration system.
Immediate changes will see the hiring of 18,000 new border patrol agents, the construction of 200 miles of barriers and 370 miles of fencing, and the construction of 70 ground-based radar and camera towers on the Mexican border.
The US Homeland Security Secretary will be required that such enforcement measures were in place, before the new temporary worker program and arrangements for those living in the United States illegally can begin.
Those illegally in the United States before January 1, 2007 will be able to pay a 5,000 dollar fine and get a non-immigrant 'Z' visa which will allow them eventually to become eligible for a green card or permanent residency.
Criteria for green card allocation will also change, moving more towards merit-based immigrants on a points system from family-based immigration.
Points will be awarded for proficiency in the English language, graduate and post graduate education, excellence in science, technology and mathematics disciplines and for expertise in an area of high labor demand.
The deal will also raise the number of H-1B visas, used by American universities and companies to find skilled workers like scientists, medical experts and computer programmers, from 65,000 a year to 115,000 a year.
In years of especially high demand, that figure will rise to 180,000 a year.
Nice work.
The federal government hasn't enforced the borders or immigration laws for several decades, do you really believe they are going to start doing so now?
What are the illegals going to get for paying all the money and jumping through all the hoops? They will get to pay US income tax, pay their own medical bills, pay for their children's education. I think 5%, 1 million will sign up, with business as usual for the rest.
The federal government will be very busy just watching over as few as 1 million new immigrants, they'll have less time and manpower than ever to enforce the borders and immigration laws.
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