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 think most fair minded individuals believe that it was legal to succeed. This topic is covered at length in "The Real Lincoln" as well as books by the Kennedy brothers like "The South Was Right". I believe that even some strong supporters of Lincoln agree that his indivisible union was not the original design.
But that's pretty far off topic.
Or, maybe not, sadly.
Mexico has something on Bush. Are they threatening to sell oil in euros?
“Who did JD Hayworth lose his seat in 2006?”
Because that prick Rove called Hayworth a racist one week before the election!
I wonder where all the Bush bots will be tonight?
Then there really isn't a big difference to me. 18,000 workplace arrests out of 12 million or 159 workplace arrests out of 12 million. Potatoes, potahtoes. We traded trivial enforcement for even more trivial enforcement.
They LIE to us at election time, and tell us what we want to hear.
Not mad enough?
THEY TAKE THE SOUTHERN FLAG DOWN...YET SUPPORT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WAVING THE MEXICAN FLAG!!!!!!
THEY WANT TO LEGALIZE ABORTION FOR OUR AMERICAN GIRLS...OH YA FILL THEM WITH IMMUNIZATIONS AND NON ABSTINENCE NON SENSE..WHILE WE PAY FOR ALIEN BABIES!!!!
THEY TAKE AWAY OUR RIGHT TO PRAY AT A FOOTBALL GAMES, BUT WANT US TO HAVE FOOT WASHING BASINS FOR THE MUSLIMS!!!!!
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR....MAD ENOUGH YET. OR SHOULD I GO ON!!!!!
What is an abomination is to allow them invade us and wave the white flag. It is outrageous to expect me to work hard for their benefit - including them getting benefits denied to us legal taxpayers.
Licking envelopes for the next RINO they intend to inflict on us?
Right you are! that should be good!! Don’t remember the last time something got me so riled up!
fwiw, given what i heard yesterday, i'll likely be back on AD as a 31D35 during the '08 election (& PERHAPS OCONUS).
they are recalling army retirees like me, left & right.
free dixie,sw
Mark Levin’s show starts soon.......his take should be interesting to say the least! He was livid yesterday!!
Yes!!!
But it needs real impact. I think that if an organized work stoppage might do. Marches make for good TV, and if the media wants to cover it, it spreads the word.
But does it change things enough?
Besides going crazy and shooting things which the left would love to use as an excuse to round us up,
WHAT ELSE WOULD WORK? What would get the attention of those buffoons who call themselves representatives? I call them WHORES!
once you get your green card, you have to wait 5 years before you can apply for your citizenship.
Essentially this is a RELAXING OF CURRENT LAW, where hardship stays of deportation are available after 10 years illegally in the USA. THEN you get a green card. Under currently law it is essentially 15 years before citizenship for an illegal in a perfect scenario. (but they have to pay a stiff fine in order to buy their citizenship)
Well, for one, we were BORN HERE. We're actually American citizens who have a birthright and a stake in what happens to our Republic. We are conservative citizens of the greatest nation on earth and we're committed to preserving our borders, our language, and the culture that is responsible for our prosperity, freedom, and status as the best nation in the entire history of the planet. We or our brothers, uncles, fathers, grandfathers, and forefathers served, fought, bled, and some sacrificed their lives for this nation. We're not going to sit quietly by while our nation is being given away to a horde of damned invaders.
So while your viewpoint as a foreigner is informative, it holds no credibility in our nation's internal debate on the issue of illegal immigration and whether to excuse millions of invaders and grant them citizenship.
Someone on talk radio suggested this (a woman, can't remember who, unfortunately). Her claim was that "something bad happened in Mexico, it involved the Bush men, and one or more Mexican woman, and they have been in many ways trying to make it up for a while now.
Who knows, maybe they have pictures of him at a Donkey Show in TJ or Nuevo Laredo from his "wild years".
It makes as much or more sense than any other reason offered here for the sellout.
I just submitted the following email to Mr. McConnell:
Senator:
I have recently returned from serving my country in Iraq, as part of the Army National Guard.
I read with revulsion the news of the amnesty bill (be honest with your constituents, for there is no other word to describe it) that has been proposed in the U.S. Senate.
My civilian leadership has left my brothers and sisters in arms twisting in the wind, unsupported overseas. We now find that same disregard here behind our rapidly-fading borders.
Rest assured, Sir, should amnesty for illegal aliens become the law of the land, there shall be no campaign contributions nor voting support coming from myself, or anyone in my household; nor shall I support any member of the Republican Party in perpetuity, should this legislative abomination be forced upon me.
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