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GOP Unveils Revised Immigration Legislation
AP on Yahoo ^ | 4/5/06 | David Espo - ap

Posted on 04/05/2006 7:51:05 PM PDT by 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.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government; Mexico; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 109th; aliens; amnesty; borderlist; gop; hr4437; illegalaliens; illegals; immigrantlist; immigration; invasionusa; legislation; revised; unveils
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To: normy
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.
101 posted on 04/06/2006 5:41:14 AM PDT by hispanichoosier
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To: hispanichoosier
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?

102 posted on 04/06/2006 6:00:31 AM PDT by normy (Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft.)
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To: normy
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.
103 posted on 04/06/2006 6:22:44 AM PDT by hispanichoosier
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To: Mogollon
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

104 posted on 04/06/2006 6:40:50 AM PDT by Colorado Doug (Diversity is divisive. E. Pluribus Unum (Out of many, one))
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To: NormsRevenge; 1_Inch_Group; 2sheep; 2Trievers; 3AngelaD; 3pools; 3rdcanyon; 4Freedom; ...


Round 4 in the Senate Ping!

105 posted on 04/06/2006 7:50:00 AM PDT by HiJinx (~ www.proudpatriots.org ~ Serving Those Who Serve Us ~ Operation Easter/Passover ~)
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To: Darkwolf377
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.
106 posted on 04/06/2006 7:59:09 AM PDT by Serenissima Venezia (Stop the “No Illegal Alien Left Behind Act” – call/email/fax/write your Senators today!)
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To: 11th_VA
"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.

107 posted on 04/06/2006 8:01:17 AM PDT by dreammaker (The only thing between anarchy and freedom is the 2nd Amendment -- Where does your Rep stand?)
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To: billbears
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.
108 posted on 04/06/2006 8:01:54 AM PDT by Serenissima Venezia (Stop the “No Illegal Alien Left Behind Act” – call/email/fax/write your Senators today!)
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To: 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.


109 posted on 04/06/2006 8:11:30 AM PDT by Serenissima Venezia (Stop the “No Illegal Alien Left Behind Act” – call/email/fax/write your Senators today!)
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To: hispanichoosier
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.
110 posted on 04/06/2006 8:49:54 AM PDT by Serenissima Venezia (Stop the “No Illegal Alien Left Behind Act” – call/email/fax/write your Senators today!)
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To: NormsRevenge

"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.


111 posted on 04/06/2006 9:02:25 AM PDT by taxed2death (A few billion here, a few trillion there...we're all friends right?)
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To: NormsRevenge

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!


112 posted on 04/06/2006 9:05:46 AM PDT by lawdude (2006 Republican bumper sticker : Vote Republican: We are NOT democrats!)
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To: HiJinx
Protect our borders and coastlines from all foreign invaders!

Support our Minutemen Patriots!

Be Ever Vigilant!


113 posted on 04/06/2006 9:16:21 AM PDT by blackie (Be Well~Be Armed~Be Safe~Molon Labe!)
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To: NormsRevenge

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.)


114 posted on 04/06/2006 9:23:00 AM PDT by Bobby J III (Reduce Crimmigrants by Abolishing Minimum Wage)
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To: Bobby J III

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


115 posted on 04/06/2006 9:35:27 AM PDT by chris1 (I)
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To: Darth Malice
Who will even care?
116 posted on 04/06/2006 9:45:59 AM PDT by Do not dub me shapka broham ("The moment that someone wants to forbid caricatures, that is the moment we publish them.")
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To: hispanichoosier

You seem to be all knowing, you tell me.


117 posted on 04/06/2006 9:59:53 AM PDT by Ursus arctos horribilis
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To: NormsRevenge

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.


118 posted on 04/06/2006 10:09:19 AM PDT by 3AngelaD
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To: TomGuy

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!


119 posted on 04/06/2006 1:09:32 PM PDT by red irish (Gods Children in the womb are to be loved too!)
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To: 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.

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.
120 posted on 04/06/2006 1:12:12 PM PDT by TheZMan
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