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 ...
LOL....bttt stands for "bump to the top"...
I was just bumping this thread to the top of my list so I wouldn't lose it.
And people like me, who are legally immigrating to the U.S., are getting screwed for being law abiding and playing by the rules. I've legally been in the U.S. for almost 12 years, and an illegal whose been here 2 years and 1 day gets to stay, gets an employment authorization card (so he can work anywhere) while I'm on a visa specific to my job. Every legal immigrant I know feels betrayed by the U.S. government on this one.
Yeah, and right now the GOP has none.
Oh, O.K. - thanks for the info : )
Our old FRiend clawrence3 is back on his now-familiar role of supporting the criminal aliens and extending amnesty to them.
Are you also in favor of supporting citizenship for the convicted felons, clawrence?
1) Were you against Carter's "amnesty" for draft-dodgers and deserters?
2) What if part of this "amnesty" requires everyone to get in line AFTER those already seeking legal status the right way?
not bad.
"Aye yi yi yi yi, I am the frito bandito,"
Your transparent play of the race card is worthless. According to Samuel Huntington in his essay from two years ago, The Hispanic Challenge, there are approximately 100,000 illegal Irish immigrants in the U.S. Well, I'm one-quarter Irish, and I say deport them all. How about those apples?
You need to read Huntington's essay at the link I provided before you continue. If facts and historical precendent mean anything to you, that is.
Were they born in the U.S.?
I will read it when I get a chance.
So, I just got wind of this. Have they voted on this new revised version? If not, when do they vote?
Prediction: Should this bill pass, the next hot item for sale in cities where illegals reside will be a package of documents that contain dates further back than five years consisting of:
utility bills
shopping receipts
minor traffic tickets, etc.
Unless you've been under a rock, the Republican party is not "our" party anymore. Thee really needs to be a serious, viable third party. But based on this amnesty program, many conservatives will stay homw and the Democrats will take Congress this year. No republican that supports this bill deserves re-election. And I'm willing to put up with that reality just so the Republicans can clean house and prepare for '08.
Whether or not draft dodgers should have been given amnesty, just like the question of whether or not compulsory military service is an ethical policy, was a controversial issue and remains so to this day.
However, there is no debate over whether or not this amnesty will dilute American citizenship.
It inevitably will.
There is no serious debate over whether or not it will have disastrous consequences for our country.
It will.
We are watching as this nation is being destroyed-bit by bit-with the POTUS leading the charge.
That's right. Once they are legal citizens, their attractiveness to employers disappears then more illegals are needed. All these pols are yanking our chains. This is a big game to them.
I'll stay right here on this thread, thank you very much for the suggestion. I didn't anything about which violation is more serious - just seeing WHERE (if at all) people would ddraw the line.
BTTT
Good point.
So do most of the Americans born here. - I cannot understand this massive betrayal of public trust...
How much for a utiltiy statement, you spose?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.