Final Vote For Immigration Bill Approaches

Click image to enlarge STORIES •Vicente Fox: Immigration Is Biggest Challenge for Mexico, U.S.•Senate Votes to Limit Debate on Immigration Legislation•Senate Rejects Plan to Expand Citizenship for Immigrants•Senate Votes to Call English 'Common Language' of U.S.•Some Immigrants Fear Guest Worker, Residency Applications on the Rise•Mexico, Latin American Nations Slam U.S. Border Fence Proposal•Bush Continues Push for 'Fair and Effective' Immigration Laws•Report: Border Patrol Demoralized by Lack of Smuggling Prosecutions•Spanish Version of 'Star-Spangled Banner' Draws Protests•Raw Data: Comparison of House, Senate Immigration Bills WASHINGTON — Senators are betting the U.S. would benefit from giving most illegal immigrants the chance to become American citizens — highlighting their resolve to pass a landmark immigration overhaul.

With approval expected by mid-Thursday, the Senate first had to work through several amendments that did not threaten the overall measure.

"I will be voting for it," Majority Leader Bill Frist said after senators finished work late Wednesday. Frist, R-Tenn., said the Senate would have a strong bill to take to negotiations with the House.

Opponents made a last-ditch attempt on Wednesday to derail the bill, contending it violated spending limits. Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., said the bill would bust the budget. Supporters countered that immigrants will be working and contributing more than they will cost.

"The economy is as good as it's ever going to get in your lifetime," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. The estimated 12 million immigrants in the country have assimilated into the economy "and it's humming," he said. The effort was defeated 67-31.

Has anyone ever asked the owners of the farms/orchards where these migrant workers are employed about their use of mechanical harvesting? I can understand some crops like strawberries are too fragile for machinery to pluck from the vine. But apples? melons? nuts? And just what are the factory workers doing that demands so many hands to accomplish? I guess the TV visions of the cookie/candy/donut factories production lines with everything so automated has given me a jaundiced eye re the BIG PICTURE.

I forgot to add my concern re
those "Jobs that Americans
Refuse to Take." Just what
ARE some of those jobs? As
far as I can see in my own
area, chubby middle-aged
Gringos are driving down
the roads, inspecting,
opening, going down into
the sewers. And THEY even
have robotic visual equipment
to pinpoint the "problem."
The Garbage Scow guys are ALL
well endowed and well paid
union men who have automatic
pickup trucks. Once in a
while the driver has to climb
down out of his seat to pick
up a cardboard bundle for the
recycle bins. I remember when
there were TWO men on the
dump trucks. Now automation
has reduced that to a one-man
operation.

What am I missing here? Or have
our Congressmen simply stopped
looking out their windows to see
John Doe at manual labor?

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