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Senators near compromise on immigration reform (HERE IT COMES)
REUTERS ^ | 16 March 2006 | Donna Smith

Posted on 03/16/2006 1:51:16 PM PST by VU4G10

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Under pressure to produce broad immigration reform legislation by the end of the month, a U.S. Senate panel on Thursday neared agreement on a proposal that would give some of the 12 million illegal aliens living in the country an opportunity to earn citizenship.

Although no vote will be held until after a weeklong congressional recess, the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday appeared ready to back a proposal by panel member Sen. Edward Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat, who has worked on the issue with his Republican colleague John McCain of Arizona.

The panel, which is working on comprehensive immigration and border security legislation, will also consider a related proposal that would allow foreigners to enter the United States as legal guest workers and then have a chance to earn permanent status.

Republicans are divided over immigration policy, and the Judiciary Committee plan is likely to spark a firestorm from conservatives who oppose regularizing the status of illegal immigrants, saying they would be rewarded after breaking U.S. immigration law.

But backers cite both economic and security reasons. They say that providing a path to permanent residency and eventual citizenship will avoid creating a permanent underclass of workers and help bring illegals aliens out of the shadows.

Sen. Charles Grassley, an Iowa Republican who opposes giving permanent status to illegals, said after the meeting that the panel would probably vote for the Kennedy plan.

"The votes are there," Grassley said.

NO AMNESTY

Kennedy told the committee the proposal was not an amnesty. People seeking legal status would have to pay a $2,000 fine, apply for a six-year temporary status, have a job, pay taxes, learn English and show an understanding of U.S. government.

They would not get permanent status faster than the three million foreigners awaiting legal entry, he said.

"There is no moving to the front of the line, there is no free ticket," Kennedy said. "This is not amnesty."

Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, quipped that the requirements "probably exclude half of my family."

The panel also reached tentative agreement on a guest worker program sought by President George W. Bush has said he wants. A compromise struck between Kennedy and Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, would give future temporary workers an opportunity to seek permanent status after four years.

U.S. business groups favor creating a temporary worker program to help fill jobs that Americans either cannot or will not do. Both business and labor groups also favor giving current undocumented workers a way to legalize their status.

Committee members said details would be worked out during the recess.

The panel is working against a deadline set by Majority Leader Bill Frist. The Tennessee Republican, and possible contender in the 2008 presidential race, wants the Senate to take up a bill addressing only enforcement and border security. He threatened to do that on March 27 if the Judiciary Committee failed to reach agreement on comprehensive legislation.

Whether Congress will finalize immigration legislation before the November congressional elections is unclear. Both Democrats and Republicans are likely to use the issue to gain advantage.

The House of Representatives has voted for tough border security and enforcement legislation with no guest worker program. The two sides would have to work out their differences before a bill could be sent to Bush for his signature.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 109th; aliens; amnesty; bohica; bordersecurity; borderslanguage; bushamnesty; culture; freetraitors; globalism; goldgard; hispandering; homelandinsecurity; illegalaliens; immigrantlist; immigrationreform; invasionusa; openborders; rinos; scamnesty; senetorswimmer
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To: Peach

It is the fact that the Reagan Amnesty turned out so miserably (magnifying the problem exponentially) that causes us to be so opposed to trying it again.


101 posted on 03/16/2006 2:29:06 PM PST by Flavius Josephus (War today is always cheaper than war tomorrow.)
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To: Tulsa Ramjet
All illegals must register under some federal identity program.

If you mean, after going back to their home countries first, then we might agree. They should not be in any way legalized without going back first.

102 posted on 03/16/2006 2:29:31 PM PST by inquest (If you favor any legal status for illegal aliens, then do not claim to be in favor of secure borders)
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To: Serenissima Venezia

The big stick is being lubed up for you know what.

And for all the bots who now love McLame, I can't wait for this one to play out. Meirs and the Port deal will look like a party after this is done.

Let the fat cats go door for the GOP. Let them get the voters to the polls, let them poll watch. I am done.


103 posted on 03/16/2006 2:29:40 PM PST by chris1
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To: yellowdoghunter

No, no. I thought you said there must be more to the story with Reagan's amnesty. You know -- as though everything he did was gold and everything Bush does is just plain evil.


104 posted on 03/16/2006 2:29:43 PM PST by Peach
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To: Flavius Josephus

Gee, I thought a freeper upthread posted a blurb about how Reagan's amnesty program was a GOOD thing.


105 posted on 03/16/2006 2:30:18 PM PST by Peach
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To: BenLurkin
My prediction: We will be sold down the river.

One minor correction. We WERE SOLD DOWN THE RIVER YEARS AGO!!

106 posted on 03/16/2006 2:30:37 PM PST by RetiredArmy (Democrats: The communist, socialist, and Al Qaeda loving party of America.)
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To: plain talk

You can't deal with the latter before the former. Otherwise... well, you know the drill.


107 posted on 03/16/2006 2:31:06 PM PST by Flavius Josephus (War today is always cheaper than war tomorrow.)
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To: inquest

"If you mean, after going back to their home countries first, then we might agree."

Okay.


108 posted on 03/16/2006 2:31:51 PM PST by Tulsa Ramjet ("If not now, when?")
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To: Serenissima Venezia

Here going shopping is not about someone speaking English. It is about being safe. In the last month the small grocery store I shop at was robbed while open, at gunpoint, by......a hispanic male. The place where I buy gas for my car...same thing. My sister-in-laws house sits behind some low-income apartments full of bangers. They have caught the little ba*stards numerous times coming over their fence to break into their house. These are 16-17 yr old males.
The people committing these crimes are probably not illegal but they are the product of the massive illegal migration to Calif. Afterall, this has been going on for many years here.
Just saying, we live with it daily here and the SOB politicans just don't give a rat's butt.


109 posted on 03/16/2006 2:33:43 PM PST by sheana
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To: VU4G10
Kennedy told the committee the proposal was not an amnesty. People seeking legal status would have to pay a $2,000 fine, apply for a six-year temporary status, have a job, pay taxes, learn English and show an understanding of U.S. government.

who is going to step up to the plate and pay 2000 dollars? Yeah if I was an illegal my understanding is that the governemnt will let me get away with everything thanks teddy you jack@$$

110 posted on 03/16/2006 2:33:56 PM PST by ziggy_dlo (freedom security:give up a little of either, you deserve neither liberalcracks)
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To: VU4G10

The rino's are finally coming home to roost. These people don't have a clue about how the public thinks about this issue.


111 posted on 03/16/2006 2:34:22 PM PST by TheLion
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To: VU4G10
Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, quipped that the requirements "probably exclude half of my family."

Graham supposedly made a comment to a group recently that we need illegals so the greens fees (at the golf courses) won't go up.
112 posted on 03/16/2006 2:35:34 PM PST by TomGuy
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To: BenLurkin

Why is there even talk of a compromise - do we not have the house and senate??


113 posted on 03/16/2006 2:35:46 PM PST by The Worthless Miracle ("Better put some ice on that")
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To: American Quilter
Kennedy and McCain? I don't have to read any more--I'm against it.

Ditto on both!

114 posted on 03/16/2006 2:36:15 PM PST by Just A Nobody (NEVER AGAIN - Support our troops. I *LOVE* my attitude problem! Beware the Enemedia.)
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To: The Worthless Miracle
"Why is there even talk of a compromise - do we not have the house and senate??"



If by "we" you mean conservatives then no, we have neither the House nor the Senate.
115 posted on 03/16/2006 2:37:52 PM PST by Prokopton
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To: VU4G10

Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, quipped that the requirements "probably exclude half of my family."

I'd like to bust Ole Lindsey one, right across the chops!


116 posted on 03/16/2006 2:38:07 PM PST by SwinneySwitch (Terroristas-beyond your expectations!)
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To: All

As much as I hate amnesty or any other name for it, can anyone give the best solution for ridding 15 million illegals already here?


117 posted on 03/16/2006 2:39:24 PM PST by Wasanother (Terrorist come in many forms but all are RATS.)
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To: Peach
You link to an article by CNN! LMBO

Over the years the figure reported most often is 2-3 million illegals. I took 2.5 million. But that is not the point. Bad policy back then, is still bad policy today. Besides, the debate is not what Reagan did, its what Bush wants to do. Bush`s guest worker proposal from early 2004, is nothing then a backdoor amnesty fo illegals. The McCain-Kennedy bill is a road to citizenship. The Cornyn-Kyl bill isn't much better.

Cong Tancredo's Rewarding Employers that Abide by the Law and Guaranteeing Uniform Enforcement to Stop Terrorism Act of 2005 or the REAL GUEST Act of 2005 starts to get the job done the right way.

Lets do immigration reform the right way this time.

118 posted on 03/16/2006 2:39:51 PM PST by Reagan Man (Secure our borders;punish employers who hire illegals;stop all welfare to illegals)
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To: VU4G10
This is not only a kick in the teeth to all American citizens it's also kicking the legal immigrants too. They have to pay periodically to keep their status here legal. Once again the 'Illegals' get the better of the deal.

First we need to close the d**m borders with whatever it takes. Arm the NG and put them down there shoulder to shoulder to stop anyone coming in while a nationwide sweep is made and make everyone prove they're here legally. Deport all illegals immediately, no excuses excepted. Once that's completed and only then the border can be opened on a limited basis.
This is war against America and it's time the Washington idiots realized that.
119 posted on 03/16/2006 2:40:31 PM PST by AmeriBrit (AMERICA's WORST ENEMIES! http://media1.streamtoyou.com/rnc/0519RNCNo-1.wmv)
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To: Wasanother

We could start by sending those that are in our prisons home and then anyone that is arrested that is an illegal alien should also be sent home. That is at least a start.


120 posted on 03/16/2006 2:40:56 PM PST by yellowdoghunter (I sometimes only vote for Republicans because they are not Democrats....by Dr. Thomas Sowell)
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