Posted on 04/06/2006 5:57:48 PM PDT by cope85
INVASION USA Tancredo blasts Senate 'amnesty' Says Frist allowed Democrats to outmaneuver him on illegals
Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo. Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., a leading critic in Congress of open borders, blasted the decision today by Republicans and Democrats in the Senate to compromise on immigration reform and offer the possibility of citizenship to an estimated 10 million people who entered the country illegally through 2004.
"The Democrats have once again used parliamentary tactics to obstruct the Senate from pursuing its priorities," Tancredo said in a statement. "The only difference this time is that Senator Frist let them. By surrendering to the amnesty demands of Democrats and squishy Republicans, Frist squandered a great opportunity to secure our borders and gain control of our broken immigration system."
A last-minute, tentative compromise today opened the way for the most sweeping immigration bill in two decades. Along with offering legal status to millions in the country unlawfully, the measure enhances border security and regulates the future flow of immigrants into the country.
"We've had a huge breakthrough" overnight, Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., told reporters.
Frist said President Bush supports the plan.
Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., who co-sponsored legislation with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., called the plan "tough and fair."
"The American people have made their voices heard in their churches, in their schools and in the streets and the Senate has listened," Kennedy said, referring to massive protests in recent weeks.
The tentative compromise 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. After that, they can begin a process to gain citizenship.
Illegals here longer than five years would not be required to return home. Anybody who came within the past two years would have to leave and take their place in line with others seeking entry, with no assurance they would be accepted.
Tancredo called the Senate "amnesty" deal "miserable public policy that will be rejected by the House of Representatives and has already been rejected by the American people."
"It continues the running joke that is our immigration system by treating the same crimes differently," he said. "In a perverse rendition of hide-and-seek, it grants a reward to those who evaded law enforcement for the longest time. And, as we did in 1986, it will encourage more illegal aliens to come into this country in the hope of yet another amnesty.
The Colorado congressman pointed out that the authors of the deal don't dispute the agreement offers blanket amnesty to at least 10 million illegal aliens who entered the country illegally through 2004.
He chides them, however, for not being honest about what will happen to the additional 2 million who have come to the country since then.
"No illegal alien with half a brain would admit that they came here after 2004," he said. "And how could law enforcement tell?"
The Senate deal would require applicants to prove they have been in the country since 2004, but Tancredo points out many illegal aliens have been using fraudulent documents, which law enforcement has been unable to detect.
"Handing out legal identification to millions of illegal aliens will expose our nation's Achilles' heal more quickly than almost any single action this Congress could take," he said.
Tancredo noted that this morning the International Relations Committee heard from a whistleblower at the U.S. Customs and Immigration Service – the agency that would be charged with screening the 10 million illegal aliens – who documented massive fraud and mismanagement in the agency.
USCIS has a security backlog in the millions, Tancredo pointed out, and, in order to reduce the backlog, is encouraging adjudicators to approve visas in fewer than four minutes.
"It is no secret that two-thirds of foreign-born terrorists operating in the U.S. committed immigration fraud prior to or in conjunction with their terrorist activities," he said. "Piling 10 million more applications on USCIS is suicidal in terms of national security."
Well the good news is, that Frist will never be president. The bad news is we all have to learn Spanish.
Our fearless leaders, outmanueverd by Democrats? Naw, couldn't happen in a million years. (more than 14 million times...)
The Social Security Administration refused to check social security numbers of immigrants. As far as I know they still do.
This is probably the best bill that could come out of the Senate now. If the House gets most of what it wants in the conference it could turn out alright.
Teddy musta been on a real bender to not have noticed the color of the flags the "American people" were waving.
"estimated 10 million people who entered the country illegally"
It seems this number keep going down in the media. Soon they'll say it's really around 4 million...lol...just kidding.
Just upon exploring the internet, I've found many Dem forums where they're against the guest-worker program and amnesty. It's funny how much the people want the laws to be enforced, yet the Senate is busy coming up with lies. It seems like the house is light-years ahead of the Senate in representing Americans. Could it be because the Senators have far too much time to be held unaccountable?
I've been watching them and it's like watching a side-show. Most, but not all dems are lunatics in this matter; while the repubs are divided...I still can't figure how many are betraying us.
"Officials described a complex series of provisions:
- Illegal immigrants who have been in the country for at least five years could receive legal status after meeting several conditions, including payment of a $2,000 fines and any back taxes, clearing a background check and learning English. After six more years, they could apply for citizenship without having to leave the United States.
- Illegal immigrants in the country for between two and five years could obtain a temporary work visa after reporting to a border point of entry. Aides referred to this as "touch base and return," since people covered would know in advance they would be readmitted to the United States.
- Officials said it could take as long as 13 to 14 years for some illegal immigrants to gain citizenship. It part, that stems from an annual limit of 450,000 on green cards, which confer legal permanent residency and are a precursor to citizenship status.
- Illegal immigrants in the United States for less than two years would be required to leave the country and apply for re-entry alongside anyone else seeking to emigrate."
Stick with English!
They still fighting over how many and which amendments to allow on the floor, so the thing can hopefully still blown up in the senate.
"Well the good news is, that Frist will never be president."
He'll seal the deal if he continuely behaves this way ie he won't get glanced at as a contender.
""The American people have made their voices heard in their churches, in their schools and in the streets and the Senate has listened," Kennedy said, referring to massive protests in recent weeks.""
Boy he was a pushover. But I got to say "Well done!" to the cheap labor lobby and the ngo ethnic/liberal front groups it funds. Set up those protests so Kennedy can claim he saw the Voice of the People!
BRING ME YOUR TIRED, YOUR POOR, YOUR CRIMINALS
(Exceprt)Senate Democrats refused to allow consideration of an amendment yesterday that would bar illegal aliens convicted of felonies from obtaining U.S. citizenship.
Democrats said the amendment would "gut" the immigration bill under consideration in the Senate and refused to allow a vote on it.
What's odd is they couldn't vote on any amendments yesterday...and there was some much uproar because of that; and now they say we're almost there. This smells like the cheese stuck in Kennedy's fat. Give me a break Senators!?
Has there ever been a GOP Majority (or Minority) Leader who was a ball breaker?
If Sessions has his way, it will. That man should be Majority Leader.
"Don't forget, we get to become marxists when our new citizens reach the right population level for a good old latin american coup."
With amnesty, I foresee the nation splitting 20-30 years from now.
The House could screw this up pretty good if they'd add an amendment that said ALL EMPLOYERS who hire a "guest worker" must provide shelter and health care for the "guest worker" and his family. That should just about take care of it. The Brokeback Mountaineers down at the DNC want Walmart to become nannies to their employess, we need to demand that employers who hire these low wage jerks provide health care for them. The U.S. taxpayers shouldn't have to pay for health care for these people. If you want to hire "guest workers," YOU take care of them.
ping
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