Posted on 04/10/2006 4:40:53 PM PDT by Dubya
WASHINGTON - When the U.S. House passed a bill in December making it a felony to be in the country illegally, the ''get-tough'' message became the flash point that has drawn millions of protestors into the streets.
With the Senate failing last week to finish a bill that would have rejected some of the harshest language in the House version, Republicans are expressing regret that the punitive House measure stands as the most recent congressional action on immigration.
''There are demonstrations all over America, and the House bill is the only bill out there,'' complained Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. His comprehensive border enforcement and worker visa program bill served as the framework for the Senate bill that got derailed in a partisan procedural fight.
House GOP leaders defend their decision to limit their bill to border enforcement and harsher penalties against illegal immigrants and those who hire them or give them aid. Many House Republicans also oppose President Bush's call for temporary work visas until the borders are made more secure and illegal immigration is curbed.
House sponsors wanted to erect new legal barriers to illegal immigration.In a recent letter to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, three House leaders defended the proposed penalties on those who give aid or counseling to illegal immigrants as a way to crack down on human and drug smuggling operations.
''We need to have the tools to be able to prosecute and put in jail the coyotes,'' said House Judiciary Committee Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wisc., referring to people who smuggle Mexicans and others into the United States.
Critics argue that anti-smuggling laws already are comprehensive and that Sensenbrenner was intent on cutting off humanitarian assistance to illegal immigrants.
''I would call on him to be honest and say that's what's happening,'' said Jeanne Butterfield, executive director of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
While not giving in on that point, Sensenbrenner conceded that a provision to turn illegal immigrants into felons was ''overkill.'' But he blamed Democrats for blocking his efforts to lessen the penalty.
After the bill was sent from committee to the full House for a vote, the Bush administration realized the felony aspect could lead to an unprecedented demand for jury trials for illegal immigrants, swamping federal courts and detention facilities.
If the felony penalty becomes law, it would make an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants , including those who overstayed their visas, subject to arrest and jailing for up to a year for ''unlawful presence'' in the United States.
The White House asked Sensenbrenner to reduce the proposed violation to a misdemeanor, with a six-month jail term. But a vote to cut the penalty failed at the hands of law-and-order Republicans, as well as Democrats, who wanted to show that the GOP was being mean-spirited.
The Senate version would make the violation a misdemeanor.
gebe.martinez@chron.com
I didn't know that the GOP regreted doing anything.
I also didn't know the GOP did anything.:^)
They didn't do ANYTHING.
Sounds good to me.
House of cards falling.
Sounds good to me too.
I'd go for concrete and steel barriers.
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
Heard on the Hugh Hewitt show this evening, that the Republicans tried to remove the Felony status from the House bill, but the Democrats blocked it.
Has anyone else heard that? If it's true, that would sure short-circuit any attempt to cast the Repbulicans as the problem.
Good , let the illegal immigrant get humanitarian assistance from their home nation.
''I would call on him to be honest and say that's what's happening,'' said Jeanne Butterfield, executive director of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
Jeanne, let me be honest. I call you swine. Lawyers phtttp.
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
Someone suggested a mile wide canal from California to Mexico. It would keep the illegals out and create a lovely stretch of waterfront property.
Sensenbrenner screwed up by letting a felony provision get into the bill.
Democrats were only too eager to capitalize on his mistake.
A big mistake, as it turns out.
"I didn't know that the GOP regreted doing anything."
John McCain says so. There's one.
"The White House asked ..."
Rove's people spinning. Anything to detract from discussion of the Senate bill proposed.
You know what, I agree on that point. Now, should it be okay for the Democrats to demagogue the issue as if they didn't vote to keep it in?
Look, you're not going to get an arguement out of me for going tough against illegal aliens. I'm just fine with illegal aliens being classified as felons.
Why did Sensenbrenner let it get put in the bill in the first place?
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
This isn't direct at you, but I'm sick of hearing John McCain's opinion on anything. He disgusts me to the ultimate.
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.