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.
If you make employment impossible, if you eliminate the BS like healthcare, welfare, college tuition at reduced rates, and just ask for secure ID at these and other locations they will get the message and take themselves home. Most have maintained strong ties with Old Mexico, as evidenced by the huge cash infusions. We only have to make it less friendly than going home. We don't need to round them up, and we don't have to be in a huge rush. They took a decade to get here. Years to go home as the incentives are slowly withdrawn will do the trick. See what is happening in Georgia.
How many law enforcement people required to do so? Are we going to send 500 police to a compound housing illegal immigrants and their families kick the doors of apartment and pull out people and put them in buses?
No, we are going to put illegal employing companies on notice, raid them, and jail people who are providing the jobs if they don't stop it.
Are the police going to raid the malls and the restaurants and arrest the illegal immigrants?
No, but if you are arrested or stopped by the police anywhere in the USA you will have your status checked and if it comes up illegal you will be deported. Sanctuary Cities need to have all tax aid from FedGov cutoff until they are shown to be cooperating.
How many informants we need to tell us about the location of illegal immigrants? To do this America will have to become a POLICE STATE
No. We had immigration controls for decades without being a police state. This is just alarmist BS.
The national backlash against the conservatives and anyone who endorse such a thing will be worst than anything we can imagine.
Seeing as no one is suggesting anything remotely resembling your over-the-top police state tactics there is no reason to expect or fear a backlash.
The politican in North Carolina who started the idea of making it illegal to rent to illegals was just rewarded by being re-elected. He was the Republican nominee for Mayor of his city, but the Dems felt so strongly about the correctness of his course they ran a write in campaign and also made him the Dem candidate.
So much for your immaginary BACKLASH.
Never again for me either. The party’s been hijacked by fools.
Thank you...(in an ironic and sad twist...I just switched over to the 40's channel on my XM radio at work and it's Kate Smith singing God Bless America...I feel sick right now...and I'm pissed off!!!!)
LOL! Very true...
Thank you for reminding us of what the government is supposed to do. Too bad they did not “...preserve, protect and defend” the Constitution of the United States.”
I have been to more than 25 countries.
There is not a single country I'm aware of that would permit this flouting of its laws the way we have over the last 25 years.
In fact, if I behaved in another country the way illegal Mexicans and Salvadoreans do in ours, I'd be in jail, and trying to find someone to pay the immgration, visa, labor, and criminal fines that would get me out of jail.
You NAILED it!!
Go Jack!!
Give us some ideas how we can round up 12 millions immigrants, put them in buses, and send them to Mexico. Go ahead enlighten us.
How DARE YOU!
Just WHO is treating these people (illegals) like "human trash". Just WHO is "abominable" for doing this?
It seems to me the illegals are doing pretty well right now with more goodies to come. Why don't you fulminate against the coyotes, mules and drug runners who consistently murder their own compadres or abandon them to the perils of the desert. It's not Americans who are the coyotes, mules and drug merchants. I've seen nothing in your posts on this.
You are just another hate-America person. We're always in the wrong, aren't we? We resemble the Nazis who "pondered the Jewish question", right?
Get lost.
Leni
Bush's blatant lying on Amnesty is plain dishonorable.
A weak leader of weak character.
...one at a time.
First step: You decide to do so.
Yeah I called them myself. I was so mad I was shaking when I was calling. I asked the guy on the phone if I was in the minority of calls and he said no. They had many calls come in today. 2008 is going to Hillary sad to say. Unless we can muster a Conservative that will run under a new party.
BINGO !!!
I understand your disagreement. I am equally frustrated with the gross dereliction of our elected leaders. I part ways on the solution, for practical and humanitarian purposes.
I certainly didn’t vote for a President that leaves the borders like a sieve. But if this is going to be a reality, it would be more pragmatic to indoctrinate these people instead of alienating them. That’s all I’m saying.
So, since hundreds of thousands of Americans commit all kinds of crimes, we should just stop enforcing all of the laws. It just isn't realistic to imagine that we could enforce every law and prevent every crime. Imagine the expense of that enforcement and all the prisons we would have to construct.
You "realists" have the blood on your hands of thousands of Americans killed or injured by illegal alien invaders.
You cut and run "conservatives" really piss me off. Go translate an Iraqi document and leave the conservatism to the actual conservatives, creep.
And I promise to do everything within my limited power to stop this immoral abomination from seeing the light of day. The House is our ONLY hope - the Senate is gone. I suspect many on this forum will do exactly the same, including writing, calling, faxing, petitioning, notifying every human being on your email list, shutting off the money spigots, or changing party affiliation...whatever it takes.
This is the only power we have left.
That sure bears repeating. I didn't like Bush I, and now Bush II is starting to make me nauseous. The Repub's had better realize we've had enough of this, or they can go the way of the Whigs for all that I care.
[i] You don’t need to deport all of them. All you need to do is cut off the welfare payments, free medical, food stamps, WIC, free/low-income housing, free schools, and start prosecuting their employers and they will start going back home. Simple [/i]
And in doing the same you will eliminate all those American freeloaders who are currently not doing the jobs that American’s won’t do.
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