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 ...
I am done voting for the Respendicans in the senate. Our only hope is the house. Time to hold soem feet to the fire.
well the clowns in D.C. are going to be in for a rude awakening come November if they don't wise up...
and until the GOP gets on the right side of the illegal immigration issue, they can forget about any support and/or funds from me!
are you listening George W.?
Woo hoo!
That's not enough, THEY ALL NEED TO LEAVE!!!!!!
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It will never pass in conference with the House, premature ejaculation alert.
Cloture on the Spector bill just failed in the Senate, a filibuster is around the corner. And don't forget, HR 4437 passed with 239 votes remains the main political weapon the anti-amnesty House forces have on their side.
I think I know why...
Because you have, we have. It will be another PC bill and will never be enforced. In any words, it is just a joke.
In God We Trust.
Do you realize what you just wrote? MAKE them become citizens?
He's not running for re-election.
TERM Fu**ing LIMITS or a REAL 3rd Party
The cloture vote on the Specter/Mc-Kennedy bill failed 39-60.
This is a framework people. Amendments will be voted on and added. If this bill gets through the Senate, it will go to conference where it will not survive as currently configured. This will not be a perfect bill. The problem is that some folks won't be happy no matter what. The question is whether these folks will take their toys and refuse to play even if they get most of what they want.
History is once again about to reconfirm that there are no great leaders who are moderates.
Same way as the last amnesty - payment receipts, utility bills, other proof like even you could provide.
If employers are scared to death to ILLEGALLY employ anymore ILLEGAL aliens, then the jobs will go away. If hospitals, schools, and other entities are legislatively excused from being required to provide free benefits, or are prohibited from providing free benefits, to illegal aliens then all of the incentives for illegal aliens to remain here will go away and they will deport themselves. Requiring that they return to their home countries to apply for LEGAL immigration will become a further incentive for them to leave and come back in a controlled manner. Setting a deadline for them to have to be out of the country and stating that anyone caught here illegally after that date would be permanently prohibited from ever obtaining legal status would provide a further disincentive for staying here illegally and they would go home. If we don't make each and every person here illegally get the hell out and come back under our terms, then we're admitting that our laws don't matter, our sovereign borders are worthless, and that America lacks the courage to protect itself from the invasion that has brought over 20 million criminal invaders inside our borders.
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