Posted on 05/28/2006 11:33:34 PM PDT by VU4G10
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist strongly defended on Sunday the path to citizenship for illegal immigrants offered in the Senate's immigration reform bill, citing national security concerns.
Speaking on Fox News Sunday, the Tennessee Republican said a failure to hold out the hope of citizenship to people living illegally in the United States would encourage the estimated 12 million illegal aliens to "stay in the shadows."
"The reality is you can't just take 12 million people here, millions of whom are fully assimilated into our society ... and send them back" to their countries of origin, Frist said.
"If the goal is national security, for example ... it is mighty hard to say that we've got 12 million people living out around this country ... and say 'you stay in the shadows, everything will be OK'," Frist said.
"We do, I feel, have to address the 12 million people to bring them out of the shadows."
Frist declined to rule out a compromise with the U.S. House of Representatives, which passed a bill last year with no provision for legalization, that would strip out the legalization provision. But he argued that the 16-year path to citizenship, which under the Senate bill includes provisions for payment of back taxes and continued employment, was a fair compromise.
"First and foremost you've got to lock down the borders," Frist said, but "we've got to address the fact that we are a magnet here," and that employers in construction, hospitality, agriculture and other industries need entry level workers they might not be able to find inside U.S. borders.
While Frist said he did not agree with everything in the Senate bill, he said it represented a good first step toward meaningful reform. "The U.S. Senate has as a first step, in a comprehensive way, addressed the problem that is economic, that is humanitarian and has to do with our national security."
If these jugheads would come out of their offices and come down off Capitol Hill for a while they'd know that the illegal aliens are not "in the shadows." Geeeesh!
There is nothing good about the Senate bill.
exactly.
I am tired of hearing this $hit. Law enforcement can man thousands of DWI checkpoints around the country, monitor millions of citizens phone calls and emails, and ensure each and every working citizen files his tax return. They damn well can round up all of these criminals and send them back where they belong.
"... millions of whom are fully assimilated into our society."
BULL PUCKY!! Only those who are assimilated have a permanent green card - and I doubt it's "millions". And .. when you assimilate .. you learn the language. I work with hispanics who cannot speak, read, or understand English - that's NOT assimilation.
Frist should stick to heart surgery. I guess he thinks we can't do anything to him or the Republican Party for their ignorance and arrogance. Well, he is wrong. If they keep this up they can say hello to Speaker Pelosi.
(Vicente) Fox calls Senate bill reward for Mexicans
"fully assimilated into our society"
Frist is a blithering fool.
I wonder how many Americans are in the shadows? What are we to do about them? Do we make all Americans worldwide register their address every year? How about babies born to terrorists in the USA they are American citizens, I didn't notice that addressed anywhere?
Uh and those illegals here less than two years what incentive would they have to come out of the shadows? And the illegals pouring across everyday what was the grand plan for them?
Defies logic or common sense...this guy can try and rationalize his sellout but I'm not buying it...little thought other than lets pass a bill and stick it to Americans and reward illegal behaviour needlesly. These guys couldn't run Mayberry much less the USA.
If we can 8 years before making them pay their fine we can take 8 years to round them up
The bastard should be fired. What is it about these jerks who do not understand the word ILLEGAL?
Washington, D.C.:
Office of Senator Bill Frist
509 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-3344
202-228-1264 (fax)
Nashville:
Office of Senator Bill Frist
28 White Bridge Road
Suite 211
Nashville, TN 37205
615-352-9411
615-352-9985 (fax)
Bill Frist, M.D.
VOLPAC
Post Office Box 158552
Nashville, TN 37215
Office: (615) 386-0045
billfrist@volpac.org
Senator Bill Frist
RINO rat felt bliss
I'd settle for just 8 million sent back. Would you buy into that Mr.Frist? Naw. I don't believe you'd buy into sending even one back.
Not if this bill becomes law. Part of the bill will disallow local law enforcement in questioning illegals.
He's out of his mind! They are NOT assimilated into our society. He needs to climb down from his ivory tower and live in the real world with the rest of us for a while. He's been sheltered from reality, and it's time he's reintroduced to it. I had hopes that Frist would be better than Trent Lott, but what a disappointment he's been!!!
Those are the same jerks who think their offices shouldn't be raided if they break the law. They should all be FORCED to live 95% of the time in the same area as their constituents instead of DC. Maybe then they would get a clue. Less time in DC would mean less new laws and less time to screw up something else (mainly the taxpayers).
I hope they don't let the American people down.
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