Senate rejects 'security-first' proposal

President Bush's plan for a "comprehensive approach" to immigration, outlined in a primetime speech last night, took one step forward today as the Senate rejected a call to secure the nation's borders before addressing other immigration-related concerns.

In a 55-40 vote, the Senate dismissed an amendment by Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga, to bar the federal government from altering the status of any illegal immigrant until every border security provision in the immigration bill had been implemented and the Homeland Security secretary certified the border is secure.

Isakson said anything less than an approach that put border security first amounted to "a wink and a nod one more time to those who would come here" illegally.

A supporter of the proposal, Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., said Congress has "no business passing a comprehensive immigration bill without making sure, first, that the border will be secure."

"Upholding the rule of law on our border is as important as defending our freedom in Iraq," he said. "A nation that loses control of its own borders is a nation that is not likely to exist for long.”

But supporters of the comprehensive bill before the Senate argued Isakson's approach would be self-defeating.

"We have to have a comprehensive approach if we're going to gain control of the borders," said Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass.

The bill's supporters, nevertheless, are offering an alternative to Isakson's amendment that says any changes in immigration policy can proceed if the president declares they are in the nation's security interests.

At a news conference today with Australian Prime Minister John Howard, the president restated his vision.

"The objective is, on the one hand, protect our borders; and, on the other hand, never lose sight of the thing that makes America unique which is, we're a land of immigrants and that we're not going to discriminate against people," Bush said.

The president told the nation last night he has authorized deployment of up to 6,000 National Guard troops to states along the Mexican border.

Officials have emphasized the Guard forces would not engage in law enforcement, but would serve as a support to federal Border Patrol agents.

The president acknowledged in his speech last night, "We do not yet have full control of the border, and I am determined to change that."

He insisted, however, that the deployment is temporary and the U.S. "is not going to militarize the southern border."

By Donna Smith

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate on Tuesday blocked efforts to water down a sweeping immigration bill coupling tougher border controls with a guest worker program similar to proposals spelled out by President George W. Bush.

The bill's backers said they were encouraged about its prospects. But they said it faced an uncertain future in eventual negotiations with the House of Representatives, which earlier passed a tough bill that would turn illegal immigrants into felons and erect a big border fence.

"The signals we are getting are very good," said Sen. Ken Salazar, a Colorado Democrat.

The Senate bill includes border security and enforcement measures but adds a guest worker program and a pathway to citizenship for some of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants.

In a 69-28 procedural vote, the Senate killed an amendment proposed by Sen. Byron Dorgan, a North Dakota Democrat, that would have eliminated the guest worker program for future immigrants. It would have limited the program to illegal immigrants who have lived in America for at least two years.

The Senate also rejected a measure offered by Sen. Johnny Isakson that would have required the Department of Homeland Security to certify that U.S. borders were sealed and secure before the guest worker program could go forward.

Opponents said the measure from the Georgia Republican would have gutted the bill. "If there were ever a killer amendment, it was the Isakson amendment," said Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada. He urged Bush to do more to line up support among Republicans.

But the Senate did agree to cap the number of temporary worker visas that would be available under the guest worker program to 200,000 a year, instead of a proposed 325,000.
But in an effort to address concerns of conservative Republicans, who are focusing on stopping immigrants from coming in, he said he would deploy up to 6,000 National Guard troops along the U.S.-Mexican border.

Bush and other backers of a guest worker program say it is needed to fill jobs that Americans do not want.

But Dorgan argued it would be used to provide cheap labor for jobs in construction, manufacturing, transportation and food preparations which are now mostly filled by Americans. "This is about low-wage replacement workers," Dorgan said.

The bill still faces an uncertain future in a congressional election year when immigration is likely to be a major issue and would have to be melded with the tough House bill.

"I think we've got good prospects of getting something through the Senate," said Sen. Sam Brownback, a Kansas Republican. "Can we get that reconciled with the House, I don't know. I think it would be a major accomplishment if we could."

Opposition to the House bill, which could lead to millions of people being deported from the country, prompted protests across the country by Hispanic groups and their supporters.

Bush on Tuesday said only comprehensive legislation would work to stop illegal immigration.

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=2&vote=00121

Grouped By Vote Position YEAs ---40
Alexander (R-TN)
Allard (R-CO)
Allen (R-VA)
Bond (R-MO)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burns (R-MT)
Burr (R-NC)
Byrd (D-WV)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Conrad (D-ND)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Dole (R-NC)
Domenici (R-NM)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Frist (R-TN)
Grassley (R-IA)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Landrieu (D-LA)
McConnell (R-KY)
Nelson (D-NE)
Roberts (R-KS)
Santorum (R-PA)
Sessions (R-AL)
Smith (R-OR)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Sununu (R-NH)
Talent (R-MO)
Thomas (R-WY)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)
Wyden (D-OR)

NAYs ---55
Akaka (D-HI)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bayh (D-IN)
Bennett (R-UT)
Biden (D-DE)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Brownback (R-KS)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Carper (D-DE)
Chafee (R-RI)
Clinton (D-NY)
Coleman (R-MN)
Collins (R-ME)
Craig (R-ID)
Dayton (D-MN)
DeWine (R-OH)
Dodd (D-CT)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Graham (R-SC)
Hagel (R-NE)
Harkin (D-IA)
Inouye (D-HI)
Jeffords (I-VT)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Kohl (D-WI)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (D-CT)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Lugar (R-IN)
Martinez (R-FL)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Obama (D-IL)
Pryor (D-AR)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Salazar (D-CO)
Sarbanes (D-MD)
Schumer (D-NY)
Shelby (R-AL)
Snowe (R-ME)
Specter (R-PA)
Stevens (R-AK)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Warner (R-VA)

Not Voting - 5
Cochran (R-MS)
Gregg (R-NH)
Lott (R-MS)
McCain (R-AZ)

From Drudge:

Sending the National Guard "will not stop the flow of migrants, to the contrary, it will probably go up," as people try to get into the U.S. in the hope that they could benefit from a possible amnesty program, Nunez said.

Hey Jorge!

If your folks are monitoring the Conservative Response, I hope they relay to you that Mr. Nunez get's it, but you don't! ... yours 5 yrs late!

Border Security = Homeland Security

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