GOP Unveils Revised Immigration Legislation

AP on Yahoo ^ | 4/5/06 | David Espo - ap

[NormsRevenge]

WASHINGTON - Senate Republicans unveiled revised immigration legislation Wednesday night that would clear the way for legal status and eventual citizenship for many of the estimated 11 million men, women and children living in the United States unlawfully.

Majority Leader Bill Frist outlined the proposal after efforts at a bipartisan compromise faltered earlier in the day and the Senate teetered between accomplishment and gridlock on the most sweeping immigration bill in two decades.

Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid pledged to review the GOP proposal overnight to see whether "it could be something we could all support." The prospects appeared uncertain, however, since the provisions appeared similar to what he and other Democrats had earlier spurned.

The fate of the 11 million immigrants living in the U.S. illegally hinged on the outcome of election-year maneuvering on an issue that Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record), R-Ariz., said had generated an unusual amount of emotion.

Three thousand miles distant from the Capitol, Cardinal Roger Mahony asked Catholics to pray the Senate passes legislation allowing illegal immigrants to gain citizenship. The Los Angeles-based prelate said the debate marked "one of the most critical weeks in the history of our country."

Republican officials said the GOP plan would divide illegal immigrants into three categories:

• Those who had been in the country the longest, more than five years, would not be required to return to their home country before gaining legal status. They would be subject to several tests, including the payment of fines and back taxes, and be required to submit to a background check, according to these officials.

• Illegal immigrants in the United States less than five years but more than two would be required to go to a border point of entry, briefly leave and then be readmitted to the United States. As with the longer-term illegal, other steps would be required, these officials said.

• Illegal immigrants in the United States less than two years would be required to leave the country and join any other foreign residents seeking legal entry.

The officials who described the proposal did so on condition of anonymity, saying the had not been authorized to pre-empt senators.

[hispanichoosier]

I guess what I am trying to understand is that many Hispanics who are obviously American seem to sympathize or defend the illegals from Mexico. Is the allegiance to Mexico or to the common language?

I don't think it's based on allegiance to a particular country or to a common language. I think the reason for sympathy with illegal aliens is mostly economic. Employers--be they Hispanic or not--want to be able to pay low wages for manual labor (e.g. yard work, roofing). Illegal aliens make this possible.

Those who are not employers yet are Hispanic have often come into contact with hard-working illegal aliens who they believe are more "deserving" of the American dream than many native-born Americans. For example, is there any question that illegal aliens who cut grass and trim trees for 10 hours a day are more diligent in work than are many in the inner city whose aspiration is to be on "Disability" or in rural areas who cook up meth? After all, being an illegal alien is a status offense--like truancy--whereas it takes a slothful intent to make one's goal in life to be on Disability.

One of my best friends dad is Mexican (American 100%) and his mom Korean (I think dad met mom from army days). He doesn't speak Spanish except the broken Spanish he learned from the guys on his crew. Would he be considered Hispanic by Hispanic guys?

I'd consider him Hispanic by ethnicity, regardless of his ability to speak Spanish. I don't know about other guys. It's not so much a racial thing as it is ethnic and geographical: If you come from an area originally colonized by Spain or Portugal (i.e. the nations on the Iberian Peninsula), I'd consider you Hispanic regardless of race. Note that under my definition, if your Australian is born in Mexico to Australian parents, I'd still consider him Hispanic. Moreover, Filipinos would be considered Hispanic under my definition as well, even though they are often classed as "Pacific/Asian Islanders" by federal, state, and local governments.

[normy]

Those who are not employers yet are Hispanic have often come into contact with hard-working illegal aliens who they believe are more "deserving" of the American dream than many native-born Americans. For example, is there any question that illegal aliens who cut grass and trim trees for 10 hours a day are more diligent in work than are many in the inner city whose aspiration is to be on "Disability" or in rural areas who cook up meth? After all, being an illegal alien is a status offense--like truancy--whereas it takes a slothful intent to make one's goal in life to be on Disability.

I agree with your sentiment and I personally know guys who are illegals. I have barbecued with them and their families,drank beer and joked with them and know they are good workers. My white friend who was their boss before they got deported (caught by a game warden shooting deer on someones property with two other illegals, they're already back though) really wishes he could rehire them.

I also know that 29% of the federal prison population is illegals and and have been a foreman over illegals and those w/ green cards who took home more pay than me. Oh they made less but once you claim 15 kids back home in Mexico it doesn't matter that your foreman worked 10 more hours at a higher wage but takes less home. That doesn't seem right either.

I also have a problem that Americans who's ancestors came from Mexico seem to side with these guys, sure many are good guys but the allegiance to the race rather than the country seems odd. Why can't these guys just be processed, given work visas, be documented and show proof of a job in the US waiting for them? Why can't they do it the right way?

[hispanichoosier]

Why can't these guys just be processed, given work visas, be documented and show proof of a job in the US waiting for them? Why can't they do it the right way?

Well, I think that's what the President's guest worker program is for.

[Colorado Doug]

Also, it's interesting that the reward of citizenship goes to those that have been breaking the law the longest

Don't worry, there is a background check. That will show that they broke the law by entering the United States illegally. As law breakers, they will be denied citizenship. /s

[HiJinx]

Round 4 in the Senate Ping!

[Serenissima Venezia]

I await the flames, but reading that piece makes me think this isn't such a bad bill, after all, since it requires they all get out--it's the "If they don't..." part I am most interested in.

Looks like you're not getting too charred ;)

Those who had been in the country the longest, more than five years, would not be required to return to their home country before gaining legal status.

But the millions that claim to have been here over 5 years don't have to leave at all and get to jump to the head of the line for citizenship. That would be amnesty. For millions of criminal invaders.

[dreammaker]

"They aren't called the stupid party for nothing ..."

The GOP is worse than just "stupid". It's fast becoming the party Benedict Arnold could only have dreamt of.

[Serenissima Venezia]

Show of hands for those that believe that any criminal will not claim they have been here for over 5 years...Show of hand for those that believe...

I can't type this way.

[Serenissima Venezia]

Great letter. How were you able to send it to Frist from congress.org (or is he your Senator?). I could only send mine to Feinstein and Boxer - what a waste of time.

[Serenissima Venezia]

I wonder how many politicians said the same thing circa 1900 when we had huge waves of immigrants from Italy and Poland...

The key word is immigrant. The Italians, Poles, Irish, German, etc., that came here truly wanted to be American citizens. They came here legally and were checked out for diseases and for employment skills. They took a citizenship test in English and an oath of loyalty. They taught their children English, to be proud of this country, and to do well in school. (My mother and her Italian friends were some of them.)

What we have now coming in illegally are not immigrants, no matter how the MSM wants to white-wash it. They have no interest in becoming American citizens and taking an oath of loyalty. Check out the protest pictures - waving Mexican flags and signs in Spanish are not how real immigrants act.

[taxed2death]

"Senate Republicans unveiled revised immigration legislation Wednesday night that would clear the way for legal status and eventual citizenship for many of the estimated 11 million men, women and children living in the United States unlawfully."



Shamnesty.

[lawdude]

From what I saw on FOX, it was all Dimodrap! Sprecter was there but he is just one baby step right of Dingy Harry.

What a farce. This isn't gonna fly in Arizona.

I predict this country will be a socialist dictatorship in 20 years!

[blackie]

Protect our borders and coastlines from all foreign invaders!

Support our Minutemen Patriots!

Be Ever Vigilant!

[Bobby J III]

I keep hearing the argument that the criminal immigrants (criminal = illegal ?) do the jobs nobody else wants. The truth is that employers need jobs done but do not want to pay the government mandated wage to a bunch of numbskull kids that happen to be American citizens. That's why employers hire crimmigrants.

The answer is to abolish the minimum wage. Then it won't be worthwhile for crimmigrants to make the trip.

Anyone who knows anything about economics can tell you that if government establishes a price cap on a good or service, demand will increase while supply will decrease. Opposite of that, a price floor will cause demand to decrease, supply to increase. Minimum wage is a price floor. Lots of people are looking for jobs (high supply of American workers), but few jobs are available (low demand for Americans.)

[chris1]

Please if someone does not want to pay some 5.15 an hour, they should not be employing people in the first place.

[Do not dub me shapka broham]

Who will even care?

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

You seem to be all knowing, you tell me.

[3AngelaD]

This is just as bad as the bill that came out of the Judiciary Committee. There's a very good change it won't pass, either. The Specter/Judiciary Committee bill only got 39 votes to move it forward. Suddenly some are developing working brain parts. But this "compromise" isn't. It just represents a more nuanced kind of capitulation. Hopefully the thinking ones won't get sucked in to this, either.

[red irish]

that is exactly what Lou Dobbs said. The American people are not stupid. But those in Washington have to think we are or they just told us to shut the hell up and we will do what we damn please!

[TheZMan]

Great letter. How were you able to send it to Frist from congress.org (or is he your Senator?). I could only send mine to Feinstein and Boxer - what a waste of time.

Go to www.congress.org
Click "Your Congress Member"
Click Bill Frist's name
Then click "Contact Via 'Web Form.'"

Or... just go here: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/mail/?id=540&type=CO&state=TN

I don't really care that he's not my Senator or what not. He's the mouthpiece.