Posted on 05/22/2006 6:52:59 PM PDT by kellynla
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Senate, eager to stanch the flow of illegal immigrants, signaled overwhelming support Monday for President Bush's plan to dispatch National Guard troops to states along the Mexican border.
No tour of duty could last longer than 21 days and troops would be excluded from "search, seizure, arrest or similar activity." They would support the Border Patrol, which has primary responsibility for intercepting illegal immigrants.
The vote was 83-10 on an amendment by Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., to authorize governors to order their states' National Guard units to perform annual duty training in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona or California. Administration officials have said Bush has the authority needed to deploy the Guard, making the vote a largely symbolic show of support.
The agreement came as the Senate debated the most far-reaching immigration bill in two decades. The measure would strengthen border enforcement, create a new guest worker program and provide an eventual opening for citizenship to many of the millions of men and women already in the country illegally.
After more than a week of debate, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., set the stage for a test vote on Wednesday, a move designed to bring the bill to a final vote by week's end. Supporters will need 60 votes to prevail, a level that appears likely given the ability of the legislation's supporters to control the proceedings on the Senate floor thus far.
In contrast to the Guard-related provision, a proposal to assure identical wage floors for two groups of immigrant farm workers sparked a spirited debate.
Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., said farm workers who hold temporary visas should be paid along the same lines as up to 1.5 million future agriculture laborers under a new program envisioned in the legislation.
(Excerpt) Read more at ap.washingtontimes.com ...
The Minutemen didn't engage in those activites either, but they were successful.
Just having eyes on the border seems to be quite effective.
Oh, yeah, the senate is eager to stop the flow of ILLEGALS, I believe that alright!/SAR
The National Guard is nothing but a ploy to get their scam passed, who do they think they're fooling? Let's see enforcement first before doing anything else then maybe we'll believe them.
Well we're PAYING for troops not a "girl scout" squad!
I assume the esteemed group of senators who approved this will withhold their criticisms until something goes wrong.
What a joke ?
The Senate, eager to stanch the flow of illegal immigrants
I object your honor no such facts in evidence to support that representation.
Anyone have a list of the ten who voted against?
I think the Girl Scouts would be more effective. We might as well not do a damn thing. And what's this horsesh&% about "prevailing wages" later on? I thought that the whole reason why these people were being "allowed in" anyway was to do "low wage" jobs "that Americans won't do," which we all know is a load of sh%$.
No tour of duty could last longer than 21 days and troops would be excluded from "search, seizure, arrest or similar activity."
God forbid we ever have any experienced individuals down there. And what praytell, are they going to be doing? Standing around playing cards?
Do our politicians truly believe that we're all this dumb. We're being sold down the river folks! They can talk about the past and immigrants all that they want to. This nation has no stones left except for among the people. It's an entirely different age and world situation than it was at any other point in history.
Perhaps the guard units on the way down to the border could sweep thier own states so as to bring along a couple of truck loads of illegals to get a good start on watching how the border patrol lets them go after issueing a ticket.
I'm surprised that the meter is even wavering. It should be asleep on the right.
Tomorrow, just hoist the BS flag over the Capitol and White House!
I wonder when the water trucks and the trucks handing out bagged lunches show up down there!
ping
Or hire actors dressed like National Guard.
Who the he!! do they think they're fooling?
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