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Advocates lobby Congress for immigration reform this session
KNOXSTUDIO ^

Posted on 09/30/2005 6:30:43 PM PDT by Happy2BMe

Advocates lobby Congress for immigration reform this session

By ALEX MENESES MIYASHITA
Hispanic Link News Service
September 30, 2005

WASHINGTON - Congressional members and pro-immigrant groups are stepping up their efforts to pass legislation that could legalize millions of undocumented immigrants, at least temporarily, before the end of the first session of the 109th Congress this fall.

National advocacy groups and members of immigrant, labor and religious groups from 29 states joined elected officials Sept. 20 in Washington to kick off a series of rallies to press Congress on the issue. The groups followed with a day of lobbying Sept. 21.

"It's one of thousands of rallies and demonstrations we have to have all over America if we're going to win," Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said.

McCain and Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., are sponsoring a bill that would allow undocumented immigrants to stay in the country for up to six years as temporary workers. It would also allow them to begin proceedings toward permanent residency.

A companion bill in the House is sponsored by Reps. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., Jim Kolbe R-Ariz., and Jeff Flake R-Ariz.

"The White House wants (immigration reform), and many of us in the House do so as well," Flake said, after a meeting with Bush administration officials.

Flake conceded that Hurricane Katrina-related relief efforts and Supreme Court nominations could delay the process, but added, "We in the House have plenty of time between now and Thanksgiving to do it."

John Keeley, communications director for the conservative Center for Immigration Studies, said he expected"high profile" hearings in the House and Senate, but no legislative action.

He said the McCain/Kennedy bill does not have much of a chance to pass, even if the White House has expressed interest in pushing through a guest-worker program that includes undocumented immigrants.

"(Bush's) position with immigration is at odds with his own party," Keeley said. "The House of Representatives isn't going to pass an amnesty for illegal aliens."

Supporters of the bill have insisted it offers "earned legalization" because undocumented immigrants would have to pay fines in order to be eligible for legal status.

"Any realistic guest-worker program must include provisions for those who are already in this country regardless of how they arrived here," Kolbe said.

Angela Kelley, deputy director of the pro-immigrant group National Immigration Forum, recognized there might not be a vote this year, but added, "Because this is the first year of the 109th Congress, any action on bills just picks right up in January.

"People know that the 11 million undocumented folks in this country have to be dealt with," she said.

A competing bill, sponsored by Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., would require undocumented immigrants to leave the country within five years in order to be allowed to re-enter as guest workers. It places larger emphasis on enforcement of immigration law than does the McCain/Kennedy bill.

"(The McCain/Kennedy bill) has nothing about hiring interior agents," Keeley said.

But opponents of the Cornyn/Kyl bill claim it is unrealistic to expect undocumented immigrants to report to authorities to leave the country.

Michele Waslin, immigration policy research director for the National Council of La Raza, expressed concern that the bill "says nothing about family immigration, nothing about reuniting families. It's very enforcement heavy, and we think that we cannot enforce our current laws without truly reforming the system in a meaningful way."


TOPICS: Extended News
KEYWORDS: 109th; 2006; 2008; aliens; immigrantlist; immigrationreform
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How many different ways can you say "S-P-L-I-T"?

=============================

"(Bush's) position with immigration is at odds with his own party," Keeley said.

"The House of Representatives isn't going to pass an amnesty for illegal aliens."


1 posted on 09/30/2005 6:30:48 PM PDT by Happy2BMe
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To: JohnHuang2; keri; international american; Kay Soze; jpsb; hershey; TomInNJ; dagnabbit; Pro-Bush; ...
One of thousands of (open border) rallies . .

=====================================

Congressional members and pro-immigrant groups are stepping up their efforts to pass legislation that could legalize millions (probably over TWENTY MILLION) of undocumented immigrants, at least temporarily, before the end of the first session of the 109th Congress this fall.

National advocacy groups and members of immigrant, labor and religious groups from 29 states joined elected officials Sept. 20 in Washington to kick off a series of rallies to press Congress on the issue. The groups followed with a day of lobbying Sept. 21.

"It's one of thousands of rallies and demonstrations we have to have all over America if we're (John McCain, Ted Kennedy, and the Underground Economy) going to win," Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said.


2 posted on 09/30/2005 6:34:33 PM PDT by Happy2BMe (Viva La MIGRA - LONG LIVE THE BORDER PATROL!)
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To: All
* * *

Hayworth Introduces 'Enforcement First' Immigration Reform Bill - Proposes Zero Tolerance

The bill authorizes the addition of 10,000 Department of Homeland Security personnel whose sole responsibility will be to enforce employer compliance and prosecute those who hire illegal aliens.

Hayworth said this approach "will encourage those who are here illegally to leave and discourage other illegals from coming across our borders."

3 posted on 09/30/2005 6:36:35 PM PDT by Happy2BMe (Viva La MIGRA - LONG LIVE THE BORDER PATROL!)
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To: Happy2BMe

Congressmen who face an election are taking a real beating on this issue.


4 posted on 09/30/2005 6:37:30 PM PDT by cripplecreek (Never a minigun handy when you need one.)
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To: Happy2BMe
"It's one of thousands of rallies and demonstrations we have to have all over America if we're going to win," Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said.

Who exactly do you count in with your "we" statement, senator mcvain?
5 posted on 09/30/2005 6:39:03 PM PDT by flashbunny (Do you believe in the Constitution only until it keeps the government from doing what you want?)
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To: Happy2BMe
"People know that the 11 million undocumented folks in this country have to be dealt with,"

True Conservatives do, the White House doesn't. Hence, my new tagline.

6 posted on 09/30/2005 6:40:34 PM PDT by DTogo (I haven't left the GOP, the GOP left me.)
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To: flashbunny
Who exactly do you count in with your "we" statement, senator mcvain?

It's all those illegal aliens he expects to vote for him when he runs for president.

7 posted on 09/30/2005 6:41:28 PM PDT by Reaganwuzthebest
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To: Happy2BMe
"Thousands of open border rallies", McCain and the lifeguard need to be strung up by their thumbs and tarred and feathered. What ASS___ES we need to close the border and deport all the illegals maybe then we can get our country back. I for one am sick and tired of these yellow bellied bums giving our country over to them. They already cost the US citizen billions of dollars a year.
8 posted on 09/30/2005 6:42:37 PM PDT by snowman1
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To: Happy2BMe
But opponents of the Cornyn/Kyl bill claim it is unrealistic to expect undocumented immigrants to report to authorities to leave the country.

Is it that bold to assume that because an illegal immigrant has not gone through the stages of legal immigration and does not have proper documentation, that they might not make too great of an effort in reporting their whereabouts?
9 posted on 09/30/2005 6:42:56 PM PDT by Das Outsider (Congress: Giving away your money like never before.)
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To: flashbunny

Maybe he has a pet rat in his pocket.


10 posted on 09/30/2005 6:45:32 PM PDT by NY Attitude (You are responsible for your safety until the arrival of Law Enforcement Officers!)
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To: NY Attitude
Other way around, by the looks of things.
11 posted on 09/30/2005 6:47:15 PM PDT by inquest (FTAA delenda est)
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To: inquest

Most likely. Beside being a RINO he is also a media whore.


12 posted on 09/30/2005 6:48:31 PM PDT by NY Attitude (You are responsible for your safety until the arrival of Law Enforcement Officers!)
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To: Das Outsider; Reaganwuzthebest; DTogo; flashbunny
When McCain says "It's one of thousands of (open border) rallies we have planned." - it really makes you wonder how stupid he thinks Americans really are.

Thousands? Who planned those? Did he? Does he have a list or plan to attend 7, 8, 900 of them?

Inquiring minds want to know . .

13 posted on 09/30/2005 6:54:35 PM PDT by Happy2BMe (Viva La MIGRA - LONG LIVE THE BORDER PATROL!)
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To: Happy2BMe
Keely said: "The House isn't going to pass an amnesty for illegal aliens."

This statement infers the question: What is the House going to pass? And when?

14 posted on 09/30/2005 6:58:21 PM PDT by Ben Ficklin
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To: Happy2BMe
Thousands? Who planned those? Did he? Does he have a list or plan to attend 7, 8, 900 of them?

McCain is all mouth and no substance. I'm still waiting for him to debate Dan Stein from FAIR, which he said he'd do a month ago but appears to have chickened out.

15 posted on 09/30/2005 6:59:21 PM PDT by Reaganwuzthebest
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To: Happy2BMe
Thousands? Who planned those? Did he? Does he have a list or plan to attend 7, 8, 900 of them?

And in what time frame will they take place? One thousand rallies in two years is still more than one rally per day. The same for two thousand in four years.

A bit much, don't you think? They may need to call up some stand-ins from the Sheehan Brigade before long.
16 posted on 09/30/2005 7:03:37 PM PDT by Das Outsider (Congress: Giving away your money like never before.)
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To: Happy2BMe
"It's one of thousands of rallies and demonstrations we have to have all over America if we're going to win," Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said.

And you want to run for President in 2008, Senator, on the GOP ticket??

HA! HA! HA!

17 posted on 09/30/2005 7:03:52 PM PDT by DTogo (I haven't left the GOP, the GOP left me.)
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To: DTogo
And you want to run for President in 2008, Senator, on the GOP ticket??

HA! HA! HA!




"Senator McCain, how do you respond to that?"
18 posted on 09/30/2005 7:08:35 PM PDT by Das Outsider (Congress: Giving away your money like never before.)
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To: Happy2BMe
Supporters of the bill have insisted it offers "earned legalization" because undocumented immigrants would have to pay fines in order to be eligible for legal status.

Isn't that EXTORTION????

Michele Waslin, immigration policy research director for the National Council of La Raza, expressed concern that the bill "says nothing about family immigration, nothing about reuniting families.

The mouthpieces of the National Council of "THE RACE," are whining, not screaming, this tells me that these proposed "immigration reform," bills, are merely a dog, and pony show designed to decieve the masses.

19 posted on 09/30/2005 7:18:43 PM PDT by c-b 1
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To: Happy2BMe
This article is dated today, Sep 30, 2005.

How strange, then, that the reporter made no mention of the fantastic Hayworth bill.

20 posted on 09/30/2005 7:41:28 PM PDT by upchuck (A fireman running up the stairs at the WTC as the towers began to collapse: HERO defined ~ Ben Stein)
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