Change on Immigration Turns Senator Kyl Into Lightning Rod

The New York Times ^ | May 29, 2007 | Michael Luo

[Baladas]

WASHINGTON, May 25 — Angry calls poured into Senator Jon Kyl’s office this week by the thousands, expressing outrage beyond anything he said he had witnessed in his 20-year political career. The callers were inflamed by Mr. Kyl’s role in shaping the bipartisan immigration compromise announced May 17, which lawmakers continue to debate.

“Yes, I have learned some new words from some of my constituents,” Mr. Kyl, an Arizona Republican, said at a news conference on Thursday, drawing titters from those in the room.

Mr. Kyl, 65, who garners top ratings from conservative groups every year, is the unlikely lynchpin to the fragile alliance of Democrats and Republicans trying to push the sprawling immigration bill through the Senate.

An ardent foe of the immigration bill that passed the Senate last year but was later stymied by House Republicans, Mr. Kyl is seen as essential to attracting conservative Republicans to the new proposal. As his party’s conference chairman, Mr. Kyl is the third-ranking Republican in the Senate and a fervent spokesman for conservative principles.

Although the bill’s backers have praised Mr. Kyl for his political courage, his about-face was not ushered in by either a high-minded refusal to demagogue on the issue or a conscious summoning of historic compromises from the Senate’s past.

A technocrat who has labored in Arizona in the shadow of his much more visible colleague, Senator John McCain, Mr. Kyl has traditionally shunned the spotlight and worked behind the scenes immersed in the details of legislation. It was that affinity for working in the trenches on policy, and pragmatism about the art of legislating, that led him to become a legislative partner of Senator Edward M. Kennedy, the Massachusetts Democrat who has been a major voice for immigration overhaul.

[Lancey Howard]

Yo!

[Colorado Buckeye]

Very good find and post. Thanks.

[Razz Barry]

Mr. Kyl said he “hates” certain aspects of the bill, including the provision that would grant people who came here illegally a means to stay, and considered quitting at points in the negotiations, though “not for long.” He pointed out that he had yet to see a workable plan to round up all illegal immigrants and deport them. Mostly, however, he credited the commitment among members of the group to working out a solution amenable to both sides.

Is Kyl saying plans have been submitted to deport all illegals? Who determined the plan(s) were not "workable"? One problem we have is people telling the illegals that we can't deport 12 million of them. If we can not deport 12 million, how many do our government leaders think we can deport? No one can possibly think that every illegal will take them up on the amnesty deal. So, how many illegals are they prepared to deport? I'm calling Tuesday to ask. I want a number. Because, if they have no plans to deport at least six million this is just another sham on the American people.

[ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas]

>>Just like Beauprez in Colorado, every politician who lost but ran on immigration can cite other factors as causing his loss. The problem is, immigration isn’t causing people to pull the lever, it isn’t changing the result in tough races.<<

So far, that may be the case. If the “comprehensive immigration reform” bill becomes law, I think we will see some significant backlash against those who enabled it in 2008. That’s my opinion based on my observations of people, not scholarly research.

[Bogtrotter52]

“At what point do the politicians realize that the people overwhelmingly oppose illegal immigration?”

Never. Everyone that i have seen on cable, heard on the radio, or read about in publications and on the net, have infuriated me. Our voice is clear and unified. Any idiot could understand what we are saying enmass. But all we are hearing is them saying we just do not understand the complexity of it....or that we really mean something else altogether. ANYTHING but face the simple truth.

I live in AZ, Kyl is TOAST. He will be reviled ‘til the day he days.

[spectre]

Oh happy day!

sw

[fedupcitizen]

Two words: Pete Wilson. 187 saved his campaign

[Reaganwuzthebest]

That and the ton's of money he is raking in from the meat-packers and the chamber of commerce.

Judas Kyl may be a traitor and a sellout but he's a rich one.

[oust the louse]

At what point do the politicians realize that the people overwhelmingly oppose immigration?

I'm almost afraid to think they really don't give a rats AZZ. The American populace has spoken over and over on this issue yet they are jamming this thru....This will be yet another slap in the face to us law abiding/tax paying citizens.

[browardchad]

Better for businesses to play it safe and continue to hire illegal aliens that aren’t covered by the bill’s amnesty.

The point is, all illegals are technically granted amnesty from the moment this bill is passed. DHS has six months to set up the so-called registration process, but in the meantime, illegals will not be deportable. While registration is ongoing (and my guess is that it will continue indefinitely), virtually no one will be deported, under the assumption that they are eligible for the visa, even if they haven't registered yet. In fact, INS/ICE agents will be required to help them register.

Those currently being paid off the books can continue to work without a visa under the protective umbrella of this bill, whether they register or not.

[Travis McGee]

No, you're right, every poll clearly shows that the american people are all for the invasion, and amnesty for 12-20 million criminal invaders, plus their families.

Which is why Kyl, Mel Martinez, Lindsey Graham etc are having the phone ring off the hook, with calls from happy constituents congratulating them.

[Travis McGee]

“Every single line was literally off the hook most of the day,” said Sean McCaffrey, the state party’s executive director. “None of these were happy calls. Truly, from our headquarters to the 15 county parties, the ratio was 100 to zero. Not a single county chairman, not a single legislative district chairman reported having a single call from a grass-roots individual saying, ‘Please pass this immigration bill.’ ”

[Travis McGee]

The point is, all illegals are technically granted amnesty from the moment this bill is passed.

This is the true heart and great danger of the bill, which the Quislings (in politics and the MSM) are still obfuscating, with bogus red herrings about touchbacks for green cards etc.

The day the bill is passed, virtually every illegal alien in the USA becomes legal, for life.

[org.whodat]

Judas Kyl may be a traitor and a sellout but he's a rich one.

Greed is greed, some people can never get enough.

[Wolverine]

[Witchman63]

I was led to believe that the visas will be granted only to those illegals that are here now. Any illegals that come here after the bill’s passage will not be granted the visas and I believe I am correct. Why else would we be having the flap over merit versus extended family exceptions if everyone from here on out is granted a visa? If you believe differently please point me to your sources. The illegals fill a demand that no one else can. The demand is for cheap labor that business needs not to worry about their labor rights. Just because they become legal doesn’t mean that demand will go away. The only way that demand WILL go away is if the gov’t gets as serious about enforcement at the business level as it does about tax dodgers and SEC violators.

[Borax Queen]

Thank you - we’ve been trying.

One would think that after the public approved four pro-American propositions (Prop 200 then three more last year), these congressmen would have a clue and not act surprised that we refuse to accept their Judas behavior.

Rumors are that Kyl sold his soul for a federal judgeship.

[Borax Queen]

By the way, did I tell you I saw people who were questionably here legally, landscaping his office complex the last time we paid him a visit? No way to prove that without shouting La Migra, but... there are certain signs (like on their truck, the lack of English, etc.).

[Borax Queen]

By the way, did I tell you I saw people who were questionably here legally, landscaping his office complex the last time we paid him a visit? No way to prove that without shouting ‘La Migra,’ but... there are certain signs (like on their truck, the lack of English, etc.).

[Borax Queen]

The only reason he hasn't heard from me is that I haven't been able to get through to his office.

I've never visited a congressional office in person before, but when they wouldn't return or respond to our calls or faxes (that we've been sending for at least a month), they received a personal visit. The royalty doesn't like being bothered by the serfs, but that's just toooooo bad.