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.
I find it beyond the pale for this country to spend billions on Iraq and allow our own border to remain porous. I find it intolerable that our current Attorney General, who is Hispanic, has supported a purge of US Border Patrol Agents who tried to aggressively do their job.
I have never been so disappointed in our government as I am on this sad day.
Calling the Republican Party the Stupid Party is insulting to stupid people.
“The democrats are going to hang this around the republicans head like they did with the Read my lips tax increase they passed.”
And the conservatives thatWILL NOT be betrayedany longer will be blamed for not bending over for another one ala Perot leading to Clinton for 8 years. Had Bush 1 not lied to us, he’d have been re-elected and no one would have ever heard of that crazy little f***er.
Yeah, he gave up on the WoT a while back. Notice how he treats US military accused of crimes by terrorists. Note how how he ignores Iran killing our troops. He’s all talk on that, but THIS is what drives him. Nothing else.
i have a question...i dont not want to vote for anyone who supported this. SO who do i vote for. Because there is no choice @ this point.
WE see how good NOT voting @ all has gotten us.
Not yet, except possibly in certain locales run by nitwits, such as Takoma Park, MD.
If you really think that the outrage you're seeing has anything to do with trolls, it is you who is "whacked."
I’ve heard grumblings about this for a couple of years.
I think I’ll take my tax refund and buy a couple of guns and lots of ammo.
while we are calling we have every illegal “press 2 for spanish” calling congress saying “si se puede” demanding amnestia ahora.
This will devide the Republican party so badly that even Hillary being the Dems nominee want bring them back together..Get ready for the dems to be in power for many years to com..How could the pubs be this stupid??
sw
Fred Thompson has said he supports a so-called "path to citizenship" for the 20 million already here and voted for amnesty in the past (including for almost one million illegal alien from Nicaragua and elsewhere). In 1996, he also voted to removed higher fines for businesses which hire illegal aliens, and in 2000, he voted for a foreign worker bill with no anti-fraud measures. If you check his voting record, it's virtually the same as the much-hated Lindsey Graham.
The FredHeads may want to pretend it's not, but when they say Graham should tossed from the Senate but Fred should be leader of the free world, they are being hypocrites.
Please add me to your ping list also. Thanks in advance.
The Illegal Alien Invasion Facilitation Act has come to a boiling point, sez Arlen Spector, Ted Kennedy's butt monkey of the week.
"Take it with a little salt, a little lime, some bootleg tequila, and es not so bad, you know? It kina tastes like munudo. An espeaking of such, I wan you to know I changing me nombre to Arlendo Spectoro Menudo, an you Vato's y tu esposas vote para mio, si?"
Now now, Im almost positive they called it something else.
Now, everybody, repeat after me:
COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM!!!
As in the rest of the third world, your kids can still have an OK life, provided they can afford the guarded enclaves and private security of the sort found today in South Africa, Brazil, etc.
Your grandchildren, however, are screwed. The gasoline-fort in "Mad Max" is about the best they can hope for.
WE HAVE BEEN SOLD OUT IN THE NAME OF SOCIALISM!!
I just don't see what other options there were. Instead of everyone reaching for their double-barreled shotguns, it makes a lot more sense to embrace this largely hard-working, Christian, family-oriented underclass and make them Republicans. But, nah. Let's make them enemies instead.
Is it unjust to the millions of immigrants who came here through the system (including my own parents?) and paid their dues. ABSOLUTELY. But we're past the point of reparations on this issue. Reality is, they're not leaving. Naturalize them. Give them amnesty, if only to wipe the slate clean and implement an ironclad system that protects our borders and requires assimilation. This hatred towards illegal aliens is not going to change the system. If Congress has a single brain cell, they will make English the official language of our country and require businesses to pay a penalty for advertising in Spanish, Korean, or whatever language other than English. Anyone naturalized immigrant should be required to take instruction in English proficiency, and be tested in order to receive a driver's license. We can turn these lemons into lemonade, but the fear and hatred of these mostly poor and uneducated people is only dividing us further. It's painful to admit, but it's our own fault for not demanding accountability for the border thirty or forty years ago. And if we choose to marginalize them like human trash, guess who's going to get their votes?
Thank you FFV. YOu said so well,what I am too sickened and repulsed to say myself.
Exactly how does GWB think this amnesty shows any respect or carrying toward American taxpayers.
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