Posted on 05/12/2005 2:54:44 PM PDT by Spiff
Conservatives blast McCain-Kennedy guest worker plan Mike Sunnucks The Business Journal
The Business Journal of Phoenix - 1:55 PM MST Thursday
Conservative immigration hawks are assailing a new immigration-reform package introduced Thursday by Arizona Sen. John McCain, U.S. Reps. Jeff Flake and Jim Kolbe and Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy.
The McCain-Kennedy bill includes a guest worker program and pathway towards legal status for illegals already in the U.S.
Arizona and national business interests support a guest worker program to license immigrants wishing to work in the U.S.
Conservatives oppose anything that smacks of amnesty. That includes proposals put forward in the McCain-Kennedy package that would have illegals already in the U.S. pay a fine and apply for legal status via a different mechanism than foreign applicants.
U.S. Rep. J.D. Hayworth, R-Scottsdale/Tempe, said the new measure was a "transparent amnesty reward for illegal aliens" and would depress wages because employers will hire migrants at lower pay than U.S. workers.
Hayworth, who opposes amnesty and favors tougher border controls and immigration law enforcement, worries the possibility of amnesty will result in "a new wave" of illegal aliens entering in the U.S.
Kolbe said proposal is geared toward lower-skills jobs and said the bill is not an amnesty because a major provision will look to empty the backlog of existing visa applicants. Kolbe said undocumented immigrants already in the U.S. will have to pay a $2,000 fine to get in line for a guest worker program. Kolbe said illegal aliens who do not step forward and apply for legal status would be subject to deportation and that wages would be helped because migrant workers will not be working in an underground, black market economy.
The Tucson Republican said the legislation is a "major surgery" to deal with the immigration issue, including more resources for border security and increased fines for employers that violate federal immigration laws.
Kolbe acknowledged it will be very tough to gain passage of the immigration reform proposals, considering the contentiousness of the issue, conservative opposition and the federal agenda that includes numerous other major issues, such as a business-supported Central American free trade agreement and Social Security reforms.
McCain, Kolbe and Flake are Republicans, Kennedy is a liberal Democratic stalwart. U.S. Sen Sam Brownback, R-Kans., and some GOP and Democratic house members also support the bill, Kolbe said.
Phoenix GOP Congressman John Shadegg, another top conservative, said he also opposes amnesty but backs the idea of a guest worker program
"I have consistently supported enhanced border security combined with a guest worker program, and have opposed any form of amnesty. I will evaluate this proposal based on that standard," said Shadegg.
Arizona has become the top entry point for illegal crossings into the U.S. from Mexico. Conservatives worry that announcement of the legislation will spur a new wave of Mexican migrants entering the U.S. Illegal border crossings increased last year in the wake of President Bush's announcement of his support for temporary worker program with migrants thinking they will have a better chance for legal status if they are already in the U.S.
Kolbe said he spoke with Bush on Wednesday about the bill and said that the president is supportive of a guest worker concept but has concerns about amnesty.
Business groups back the Arizona-led bill because of its guest worker component.
"The Arizona Chamber is very encouraged by the introduction of this legislation and will continue to work with Arizona-based business groups and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce at the national level to support reform of our immigration and border security," said Farrell Quinlan, vice president of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce also backs McCain-Kennedy, as do Hispanic and liberal advocacy groups because it offers a legal path for undocumented immigrants already in the U.S.
"Our state needs immigration reform, but it's certainly not going to happen with our Legislature's partisan piecemeal approach of setting up new barricades," said Dick White, president of the liberal Arizona Interfaith Network in a statement.
"It's going to take a comprehensive and bipartisan approach, and the Arizona Interfaith Network believes this national bill is a good start."
Conservatives in the Arizona Legislature have been pushing a series of measures aimed curtailing illegal immigration and denying undocumented migrants access to government services. Those efforts comes on the heels of passage of Proposition 200 last year. That law denies state welfare benefits to illegals and conservatives want to expand its scope to include child care subsides.
Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano has vetoed some of those measures and opposed Prop. 200, as did moderate Republicans and business groups).
All that has immigration ready to take center stage in the 2006 elections, including Napolitano's re-election bid. Conservatives are expected to get some anti-illegal immigration referendums on the 2006 ballot.
ping
Catch them, jail them and then send them home. Our country has a system for getting in, so follow the instructions.
correction: Catch them, put them on a prison work detail cleaning up the mess they made, and then let them walk back the same way they came.
He'll never get the Republican nomination. I don't even know why he still pretends to be one.
When are these people going to realize that we CAN'T reward law-breakers?
I called Rogers about this today.
From: JDHayworth for US Congress
To: ElectJDHayworth@JDHayworth.com
Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2005 12:31 PM
Subject: JDH PRESS RELEASE - 5/12/05
Hayworth Says Guest-Worker Proposal Will Incite New Invasion by Illegal Aliens
Flawed Bill creates ‘Transparent Path to Amnesty’
WASHINGTON- U.S. Rep. J.D. Hayworth dismissed an immigration plan introduced today in Congress as “a transparent amnesty reward for illegal aliens” and predicted it would not become law.
The legislation, entitled The Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act, “would only encourage a new wave if illegal aliens to invade the United States and make America’s uncontrolled and unacceptable immigration debacle even worse than it is now,” Hayworth said.
The text of Rep. Hayworth’s statement follows:
“Until the federal government is willing to enforce the immigration laws that are already on the books, Americans and most members of Congress will be highly skeptical of any additional promises to enforce a new and deeply flawed approach.
“If recent history is an accurate guide, and I believe it is, this so-called guest worker notion would only encourage a new wave of illegal aliens and make America’s uncontrolled and unacceptable immigration debacle even worse than it is now.
“This legislation is a bad idea not only because it creates a transparent path to amnesty, but also because it would reduce work opportunities, depress wages, and lower worker protection for Americans. Further, it would be impossible to administer and even more unlikely to be enforced.
“I believe that when the disturbing details of this proposal are considered, Congress will see the light and join the overwhelming majority of Americans that want the federal government to enforce our present laws against illegal immigration.”
- End -
From www.phxnews.com:
Will the Secure America / Orderly Immigration Act '05 secure America?
(88%)
Hell no, this act is more political tricks to make voters feel we're being protected
(13%)
Yes, this act will protect our borders while creating orderly immigration
Notice that Jeff Flake is also a co-sponsor...he was against Prop 200 last year, too.
Thanks for the ping, and the catch on the "Flake".
~bkmrk~
If only McCain could get over his pain*, he wouldn't do these things to our country.
(*losing the nom in 2000... )
It's what the President wants.
DOA? Hardly.
The President will be supporting the Kyl-Cornyn Reform Bill.
That's nothing but a lie and you know it.
Excuse me, but the President has talked about his wanting a guest worker program for the last two State of the Union Addresses.
Shall I post them for you?
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