Posted on 04/06/2006 8:33:43 AM PDT by STARWISE
WASHINGTON - In a last stab at compromise, Senate Republicans and Democrats reported progress Thursday toward agreement on legislation opening the way to legal status and eventual citizenship for many of the 11 million immigrants now in the U.S. illegally.
"There's been tremendous progress overnight," said Sen. Harry Reid (news, bio, voting record) of Nevada, the Democratic leader, while Majority Leader Bill Frist also expressed optimism that a long-sought compromise might be at hand.
There was no immediate reaction from President Bush, who has made immigration legislation a key priority.
The developments occurred after Frist unveiled a new bill late Wednesday night on the subject as the Senate headed into a test vote on the most sweeping immigration bill in two decades.
In general, the legislation would provide for enhanced border security, regulate the flow of future immigrants into the United States and settle the legal fate of the estimated 11 million men, women and children already in the country.
It was the fate of the illegal immigrant population that proved hardest to legislate, and it has left the Senate on the verge of gridlock for days.
(snip)
Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., as well as other key senators met before the vote to review terms of a proposed compromise.
In general, it would require illegal immigrants who have been in the United States between two years and five years to return to their home country briefly, then re-enter as temporary workers. They could then begin a process of seeking citizenship.
Illegal immigrants here longer than five years would not be required to return home; those in the country less than two years would be required to leave without assurances of returning, and take their place in line with others seeking entry papers.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
We don't need railing, we need filibustering.
The very first message he posted on this thread was "Whoo Hoo!"
He won't be so happy after this goes back to the House. We knew the Senate would try for amnesty. Praise the Founding Fathers for bicameral government.
This is utter b.s.
Yes, what a stUning revelation!
;0)
O.K., I've read Huntington's article and looked at all the pretty charts - I think we can assimilate the current illegal population at least as well as we did the slaves after 1865 - now, care to answer my question: "would you be as upset if the feds and States suddently repealed the speed limit and a bunch of WHITE people, who had pending speeding tickets, got amnesty (with or without paperwork)?"
Good points.
Don't we really need a voting down of the bill and a replacement that doesn't have the effect of destroying the nation?
It gets worse:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1610437/posts
But the status quo is number 1 above, every time there's a new president, whether they have an R or D after their name.
Because we have.
Probably a good idea - especially if you want to live in the Southwestern U.S.
have been saying that from day one. This plan is a scam at best since the crime is mutual. The mexicans love to work for cash to send home to Mexico and the employers to avoid the payroll and labor laws.
As soon as these illegals realize they are getting a paycut ,millions more will flood in to undermine these newly minted "guests"
Confirmation of the big story:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1610437/posts
Tancredo agrees with you.
I heard him say, flat out, that no bill is better than this bill.
My first response is to say NEITHER! But, I must say that I would prefer to not pass any new laws than to pass any form of amnesty. You see, any promise or even hint of amnesty actually brings more illegals across the border in a mad rush. I'd rather Congress gridlock on this until next year than to enact any form of amnesty. We really don't need any new laws, we just need to actually enforce our existing laws. NO form of amnesty is acceptable, it will only make things worse. No Amnesty! No Rewards! Enforce our laws now!
I don't think it's totally incorrect - as a percentage of the South, at least, slave imports surpassed Hispanic immigration. As for another "Civil War", I think that is what this compromise legislation is seeking to head off.
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