Posted on 05/17/2007 10:16:31 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - A bipartisan group of senators reached agreement with the White House Thursday on an immigration overhaul to grant quick legal status to millions of illegal immigrants already in the U.S. and fortify the border against new ones.
One of the key negotiators, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., said he expects President Bush to endorse it.
The deal came after weeks of painstaking closed-door negotiations that brought the most liberal Democrats and the most conservative Republicans together with Bush's Cabinet officers to produce a highly complex measure that carries heavy political consequences.
It set the stage for what promises to be a bruising battle next week in the Senate on one of Bush's top non-war priorities.
This is a breaking news update. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
WASHINGTON (AP) Republican and Democratic senators huddled Thursday trying to close in on an immigration compromise to grant quick legal status to millions of undocumented immigrants while fortifying U.S. borders against new ones.
A group of lawmakers that has been haggling over the terms of agreement for weeks were reviewing language negotiated Wednesday night in efforts to nail down a deal. Among the final sticking points was a stubborn dispute over how much family ties count toward green cards under a new "point system." The plan prioritizes advanced skills and education levels for future immigrants.
Two of the lead negotiators, Sens. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., and Lindsey Graham (news, bio, voting record), R-S.C., booked time for Thursday afternoon in the Senate's radio-TV gallery for an announcement.
But Kennedy said some were hanging back as an agreement inched closer.
"There are just some people who don't want to close on this. There comes a time in every negotiation where people have to close," Kennedy said. "Today is it."
Kennedy said Thursday was likely the last chance for a compromise before senators scattered for a three-day weekend.
"The immigration reform legislation has come to a boiling point," Sen. Arlen Specter (news, bio, voting record), R-Pa., said just before going into Thursday's meeting. "We've tried to come to a consensus and I think we are very, very close, but every time we grasp it, it eludes a final resolution."
If no deal emerged, Senate Democrats were to vote Monday evening to bring up an immigration measure that passed last year over the objections of most Republicans, who have said they will block it. That would be a highly partisan start to the immigration debate, which divides the two parties and exposes fissures within their ranks.
Even with a bipartisan agreement, the immigration debate could easily devolve into a free-for-all in the unruly Senate.
Majority Leader Harry Reid (news, bio, voting record), D-Nev., has said he wants to complete a bill before Memorial Day, and President Bush says he wants to sign one by summer's end.
how many ‘legal’ residents of US have that many SS#’s?
“Tell me how youre going to separate all of these citizen children from their alien parents.”
Step #1 - REvoke the law that grants citizenship status to children born to illegals.
Step #2 - When you catch on, put him, his wife, and his family on a bus to Mexico City.
you can bet the Milwaukee journal/sentinel will go out of their way to avoid naming him an illegal immigrant
That's incredible. I'm the elitest.
Latinos overwhelmingly vote democratic. It is delusional to think they will vote Republican.
Who was it that helped win Florida in 2000? Without the Cuban backlash against Janet Reno and the Clinton administration we'd be graced with at least four years of Algore in the White House. Or was that just an illusion?
Why does this not surprise me? But then why did you ask?
... our country was set up so that first generation Americans - which he will be - are equal to everyone else.
Like I said, non-Citizen. Thanks for playing. Blackbird.
Secure the borders FIRST and AFTER we verify the securing methods are really working and illegal crossings are under control, then and only then consider a bill on what to do with illegal immigrants already here. Please quit saying we can’t deport all of them. We know that and most are not saying that.
Nice Dem talking points. You obviously benefit from illegals somehow.
Great job!! Super post.
Do you worry about family separation for other criminals? How about rapists? Who's going to take care of their kids while they are away? Maybe we should grant them amnesty.
I didn't ask you how many generations your family goes back. You offered that as if to prove your somehow better.
Like I said, non-Citizen
Thanks, now we're back to my original question, which was - do you consider yourself a better class of citizen than a first-generation citizen? So when he's got citizenship, will you still argue that your opinion matters more?
My reading of the 14th Amendment is that the children born to people subject to a foreign government are NOT citizens. The parents caused the problem, not I... and I assure you the family can be united in the banana republic of their choosing.
They are free to take their offspring back with them.
Break the law get amnesty. If I rob a bank will I too get amnesty? Well a lot of people rob banks so I guess you could say “everyne is doing it”.
That's what I'm saying. The people on this board supporting this amnesty have no respect for this country's sovereignty or culture. They probably make money off the backs off illegals, and they don't want their gravy train derailed.
One thing that I have been doing for years on this issue, is to fax free with NumbersUSA.com and they have done a good job in places to force the GOP to stand up against Bush every once in awhile. By Mon. we all need 41 Senators to vote NO on cloture. There is still time to effect changes in this 1000 page monstrosity. But, we cannot give up and yes, the GOP still must unite as well as with conservs of all stripes because if one can see Hell coming, either Hil or BO would be even worse than this bill attributes.
Tell me about it. My mother is so furious about this she wrote Bush about 5 times already. She came from Scotland about 40 years ago and said she “busted her arse” to do it legal, worked and saved her money for years, studied everything about US history and eventually she got in and eventually became a citizen. She is absolutely nuts that these criminals (and they are criminals because they are breaking the law) can just cut ahead of everyone and the government is all la-di-da go ahead about it. It makes everything she did to do it legal a huge insult and she said she will never vote Republican again. Thanks GW for all but insuring Hellary is our next POTUS.
Are you a better class of citizen than first generation citizens?
Based on my Heritage alone, stacked against a non-Citizen, absolutely.
Thanks, now we're back to my original question, which was - do you consider yourself a better class of citizen than a first-generation citizen? So when he's got citizenship, will you still argue that your opinion matters more?
I'll argue right/wrong to my last breath. How much time ya'll got? Unless you have some other point to make, especially if all you can do is attempt to denigrate my long Heritage in this Country to that of an admited non-Citizen, then I think we're done. Go troll somewhere else now ya' hear. Blackbird.
“Figure out how to displace 12 million people in a humane way”
Isn’t that a risk they took when they came here illegally?
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