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 ...
While a conservative would generally favor attempts to secure the border, it would be wrong to say that a conservative has to come down one way or another on the issue of guest workers or illegal alien deportation. T
ED
what I heard. What's it smell like?
Throw a rock into a pack of dogs; 95% are spotted, 3% are solid white, 3% of the white are also short-eared.
What's your chance of hitting a short-eared white one?
Solutions are usually based on what would curtail the majority of infractions.
Actually, someone above indeed said to vote for Dems since they could not be any worse that GOP on immigration.
Then you decide to support a bill that b4b opposes, for whatever reason. How does he convince you to oppose that bill?
Oops, MEGoody, forgot to ping you on this!
7 MILLION, MINIMUM, just for starters! My goodness, you can forEVER kiss off this country with just *5 million* situated in Florida, Arizona, New Mexico and Ohio (and on and on!)!
Let the Vote pandering RAGE ON!
Are you being sarcastic? If not, we can finally agree on something. I still want to know how you can think Americans who eat vegetables are "cretins" though.
"OK, so we don't worry about anyone but mexicans."
It's called triage.
This is that issue for me as well.
I could envision myself voting for Alan Simpson or Pete Wilson-in spite of my pro-life principles-but if any open borders, illegal immigration advocate thinks he's getting my vote in the future he/she is sorely mistaken.
And how many elderly/ill will die on those longer drives to the hospitals?
Why just throw a rock?
I gotta go, BBL
A win for the democrat there is a big help to Harry, Hillary, etal.
By making sure that there's another conservative capable of taking his place should he stray to far.
On the contrary, my strategy for now and the future is to root out and defeat the RINO's and support the conservatives.
No, I consider getting DeWine out of office so we can focus on getting a conservative in there a win.
We will never win if we allow the RINO's to stay. If there's nothing else that should prove that to you having specter re-elected in 2004 should. He barely survived a primary challenge and yet went right back to being the RINO little weasel he is. Had he been beaten by his much more conservative challenger we'd be in a hell of a lot better shape then we are today.
So please don't try and convince me of the horrors we face should RINO's be thrown out. Nothing could possibly be worse that having that sniveling pos doing his utmost to screw real Americans.
By making sure that there's another conservative capable of taking his place should he stray to far.
On the contrary, my strategy for now and the future is to root out and defeat the RINO's and support the conservatives.
No, I consider getting DeWine out of office so we can focus on getting a conservative in there a win.
We will never win if we allow the RINO's to stay. If there's nothing else that should prove that to you having specter re-elected in 2004 should. He barely survived a primary challenge and yet went right back to being the RINO little weasel he is. Had he been beaten by his much more conservative challenger we'd be in a hell of a lot better shape then we are today.
So please don't try and convince me of the horrors we face should RINO's be thrown out. Nothing could possibly be worse that having that sniveling pos doing his utmost to screw real Americans.
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