Posted on 04/26/2006 5:20:12 PM PDT by West Coast Conservative
President Bush generally favors plans to give millions of illegal immigrants a chance at U.S. citizenship without leaving the country, but does not want to be more publicly supportive because of opposition among conservative House Republicans, according to senators who attended a recent White House meeting.
Several officials familiar with the meeting also said Democrats protested radio commercials that blamed them for Republican-written legislation that passed the House and would make illegal immigrants vulnerable to felony charges.
Bush said he was unfamiliar with the ads, which were financed by the Republican National Committee, according to officials familiar with the discussions.
At another point, Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada and other members of his party pressed the president about their concern that any Senate-passed bill would be made unpalatable in final talks with the House.
Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the second-ranking Democrat, said the lawmaker who would lead House negotiators, House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner, had been "intractable" in negotiations on other high-profile bills in the past. Bush did not directly respond to the remark, officials said.
The Republican and Democratic officials who described the conversation did so Wednesday on condition of anonymity, saying they had not been authorized to disclose details.
Bush convened the session to give momentum to the drive for election-year immigration legislation, a contentious issue that has triggered large street demonstrations and produced divisions in both political parties. Senators of both parties emerged from the session praising the president's involvement and said the timetable was achievable.
"Yes, he thinks people should be given a path to citizenship," said Sen. Mel Martinez., R-Fla., a leading supporter of immigration legislation in the Senate.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
The immigration crisis has brought out the worst in many people.
It is a good example of having to pay for a bad policy when the bill comes due.
I was born in Midland,Texas, I voted for the President twice, and I support most of his policies--but he is simply wrong about the immigration issue...
Sure worksite enforcement is down. That's becuase for security reasons the president moved almost all such funding to border enforcement after 911.
foflol!
And meathead either unfortunately. :)
Oh...we have secured our borders after 9/11?
Hey....have you ever considered getting a clue?
"Sure worksite enforcement is down. That's becuase for security reasons the president moved almost all such funding to border enforcement after 911."
Look arround...there are more of them getting in than ever before.
I agree winning the Cold War was essential to our continued existence....thank you President Reagan.
And, I know winning the war on terror is just as essential to the continuation of Western Civilization....thank you President George Walker Bush.
Oh...we have secured our borders after 9/11?
Oh, we haven't made any arrests at the border since 9/11?
John Galt was an "idea" of Ayn Rand's in a novel.
Although I had great empathy with her books in college,
they are un realistic!
I abhor illegal immigration but there are way too many "plants" on this thread.
Try Robert Ludlum and the "Gemini Contenders"!
Surely you must be kidding. He decreased border funding when it should have been increased.
So are you now accusing President Bush of calling all law enforcement and telling them not to enforce the law? Doesn't it all start at the border regardless where someone stands on the guest worker issue? Do you believe that an undocumented worker (definition) has a right to adjudication before being declared illegal (legal description)? Does an undocumented worker have a right to adjudication if their defense is they are here legally? Is it their responsibility to show they're here legally or a prosecutor's responsibility to show they're here illegally? I take it you won't vote for Bush ever again?
Look arround...there are more of them getting in than ever before.
It's been 20 years since Reagan's no-citizenship amnesty. What you are seeing is the sum total of 20 years of illegal immigration.
As I said before Bush has moved all his illegal-alien resources to the border since 9/11 for security reasons. That's why work place arrests are down.
Article III, Section 3: "....or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort." I ask, then, are we now at War with terrorists from many sources? Are many of the same now within our midst as illegal aliens? Is proposing that they be allowed to remain here, and have citizenship conferred upon them, akin to giving them "Aid and Comfort"? I, also, did not make the accusation, but a case can certainly be made for it.
A drop in the bucket when you consider that the total cost of illegal immigration to going-bankrupt California is 10 BILLION each year, and counting...
Surely you must be kidding. He decreased border funding when it should have been increased.
Border funding has decreased. Why don't you document that.
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.