Congress Nears Deal on Illegal Immigrants (breaking on cable networks)

AP/Yahoo News ^ | 4-6-06 | DAVID ESPO

[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.

[clawrence3]

"So what?"

Several posters claimed to have never seen someone against LEGAL immigration and that me even asking the question was "racist crap" - that's why I provided the info. If their opinion prevails, then America ceases to be the shining city on the hill.

[Serenissima Venezia]

clawrence3, you've already had an entire vanity thread so you could ask this question. You had over a hundred replies, if I remember. And now you're bringing it up yet again!

Legal immigration and illegal immigration are two separate topics. It's only the MSM that tries to purposely confuse the two to promote their agenda.

[heat02]

http://www.moviezilla.org/they_live.php

We could take a cue from the above movie "They Live" starring Roddy Piper.

[JeffAtlanta]

"$80 billion" was Jeff's figure - not mine - you will have to ask him where he got it.

My bad - I had a decimal in the wrong place - it should be $8 billion, not $80 billion.

I got my information from this article posted on FR. to build wall after blasting Israel's

The ultimate contract is estimated to be worth several hundred million dollars. Each kilometer of Israel's fence cost $1 million to build. Bases, sophisticated transit points, and observation and command-and-control systems cost $2 million per kilometer.

Of course their fence is much more sophisticated then what we would need.

Clawarence, note from the thread that the EU isn't against having borders either.

[FastCoyote]

[I take it that is not an apology then? I only had to find ONE to disprove you and nicmarlo's statements, e.g. "I've been following the immigration threads for quite awhile; never have I seen anyone post they are against LEGAL immigration." ]

There ya go, you get the Brownie point for only being 99.9999999% wrong instead of 100% wrong. My humiliation knows no end. Just don't try and engineer your way out of a wet paper bag with brain power like that.

[clawrence3]

If that's the closest I get to an apology, I guess I'll have to take it.

[bill1952]

>There will be a price to pay on judgment day for this evil.

Sir, there will be a price to pay before that, and I expect to pay it.

Thank you.

[lsjogren]

I hope everyone concerned about this is registered with numbersusa.com as an activist.

[clawrence3]

Thanks for the clarification.

[clawrence3]

I'm not part of the MSM.

[clawrence3]

I have no problem clearing the massive backlog for legal immigrants too : )

[Serenissima Venezia]

On a thread dedicated to bringing out those who oppose ALL immigration, and all you can muster is a DOZEN!

Actually, it's really less than that if you consider that MOST of those that he counts as against legal immigration are those that said they would curtail legal immigration until there are enough jobs for the current number of legal immigrants, as well as give them time to assimilate. Then, let more in. Only a few said to stop legal immigration completely.

[JeffAtlanta]

How does one go about determining how often illegals have abortions?

I think that the rationale used is that since that vast majority of Mexicans are Roman Catholics, they will be be an aid in the fight against abortion. If it leads to socialism then so be it.

Of course, this is crazy thinking but there is no limit to how far some will go to put lipstick on a pig.

BTW, totally agree with your post. Especially about the makeup of the pro-open borders crowd.

[Serenissima Venezia]

Goody - glad to hear that! Actually, I find you to be polite and you don't resort to name-calling or insults, even when others do. So you couldn't be on of them!

[nicmarlo]

I'm not apologizing, as I didn't call you a liar. I questioned the veracity of your asking a farcical question, which I continue to maintain it is. After numerous posts by FastCoyote, he made no indication that he was against anything other than lawbreakers getting amnesty and the negative effects it is having in our country.

[wardaddy]

It's the truth....no one ever calls them out.

They act like they are humanitarians and we're bigots when in reality they have a grudge for "gringos"

[TFine80]

No one is required to return home... 1 year, 2 years, 5 years, whatever... The law is a joke.

[ARealMothersSonForever]

influx of immigrants at one time having a disastrous effect, economically.
You are further supporting the anti immigrant stance. When confronted with information from the IRS, SSA, and MIT that blows away the "illegal" part of the argument; some circle right back to the economic argument. Unemployment a 6 year lows, record corporate profits, solid expansion, and stable markets are "disastrous"? Stick with the "Mexicans are burdens on the healthcare system" approach. Healthcare is a mess, and you might be able to blame it all on a socioeconomic class or race.

[clawrence3]

I know you are not apologizing - a simple "thank you" for showing you what you'd NEVER SEEN BEFORE WITH MY OWN TWO EYES would suffice.

[GarySpFc]

You are only FOR uneducated illegals from Mexico, why aren't you for importing unchecked EDUCATED Russians?

That's a great question. Very few Russians are allowed in the country, and if I recall correctly the high immigration number was 13,000. Indeed, my Russian stepdaughter is not even allowed to visit her Mom in America, and that due to Ameerican law, not Russian. Now let's compare immigration from all of Europe with Mexico.

Legal Immigration from Europe and Mexico compared by year.

As everyone can see the legal immigration from Mexico has been almost twice as large as from all of Europe. This does not include the illegal immigration from Mexico.

Year___________Europe_________Mexico

1990 __________112,401_________679,068
1991 __________135,234_________946,167
1992 __________145,392_________213,802
1993 __________158,254_________126,561
1994 __________160.916_________111,398
1995 __________128,185_________ 89,932
1996 __________147,581_________163,572
1997 __________119,871_________146,865
1998 ___________90,793_________131,575
1999 ___________92,672_________147,573
2000 __________132,480_________173,919
2001 __________175,371_________206,426
2002 __________174,209_________219,380
2003 __________100,769_________115,864
2004 __________127,669_________175,364

Totals ________2,001,797_______3,647,486