Posted on 06/14/2007 3:55:45 PM PDT by Alaphiah123
Key senators tentatively agreed on a plan to revive a stalled immigration bill on Thursday, aided by President Bush's support for a quick $4.4 billion aimed at "securing our borders and enforcing our laws at the work site."
Officials who spoke on condition of anonymity said Republican and Democratic supporters of the bill were presenting their proposal to the Senate's top two leaders, who in turn arranged an early evening meeting to discuss it.
Precise details to be presented to Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., were not disclosed.
In general, according to officials familiar with the discussions, Republicans and Democrats would each be accorded roughly a dozen chances to amend the measure, with the hope that they would then combine to provide the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster by die-hard opponents. The officials who described the emerging plan did so on condition of anonymity, saying the negotiations had been conducted in private.
The legislation has generated intense controversy, particularly for provisions envisioning eventual citizenship for many of the estimated 12 million immigrants now in the country unlawfully. The bill also calls for greater border security and a crackdown on the hiring of illegal employees.
"We're going to show the American people that the promises in this bill will be kept," Bush said, two days after launching a personal rescue mission.
Any agreement is subject to approval by Reid, who has said repeatedly it is up to Bush and Republicans to line up the votes needed to advance the measure if it is to be brought back to the Senate for debate. Reid, who has expressed misgivings about elements of the bill, sidetracked it last week after supporters gained only 45 of the 60 votes needed.
Republicans accounted for only seven of the 45 votes, and Reid said earlier this week, "We'll move on to immigration when they have their own act together."
Bush's decision to personally announce support for the accelerated funding reflected concerns expressed by Republican senators at a closed-door meeting on Tuesday. Several told him their constituents doubted the government was capable of following through on a commitment to enforce immigration laws.
In a letter sent to Bush before the meeting, Georgia Republican Sens. Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson wrote, "This lack of trust is rooted in the mistakes made in 1986, and the continued chaos surrounding our immigration laws. Understandably, the lack of credibility the federal government has on this issue gives merit to the skepticism of many about future immigration reform."
Under the legislation as drafted, money for border enforcement would be collected gradually as illegal immigrants pay the fines and fees needed to achieve legal status. The letter asked Bush to secure the border before other elements of the immigration measure go into effect, and the president agreed in his remarks to the Associated Builders and Contractors.
"One common concern is whether the government will provide the resources to meet the goals in the bill. They say, 'It's fine to talk about it, are you actually going to do something?'" he said.
"To answer these concerns I support an amendment that will provide $4.4 billion in immediate additional funding for securing our borders and enforcing our laws at the work site," he said.
"By matching our benchmarks with these critical funds, we're going to show the American people that the promises in this bill will be kept."
Two Republican supporters of the legislation, Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Jon Kyl of Arizona, had previously proposed advanced funding.
"The moment the presidential signing pen meets the paper these funds will be available," Graham said in a statement welcoming Bush's remarks.
But Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., an opponent of the legislation, took a different view. "I appreciate the effort to fund border security, but there's simply no reason why we should be forced to tie amnesty to it. If the administration was serious about fulfilling the border security promises, then this funding should have been supported all along, not offered at the last minute to attract votes to a bad bill."
Even a decision to return the bill to the Senate floor does not guarantee its passage, given the intense opposition. "We've got people out there on both sides really ready to burn the place down," said Sen. Trent Lott of Mississippi, the second-ranking Republican. "I don't think we ought to let that happen."
The calendar, too, presents obstacles to any attempt to pass the measure before the Senate begins a scheduled vacation in two weeks. Should they choose, critics of the immigration measure could slow progress on other measures Reid wants debated in the next two weeks. The effect would be to further reduce prospects for passage of the immigration bill.
I wrote to Kennedy and Kerry too, and here’s Kennedy’s canned reply:
“Thank you for contacting me about immigration reform. This is a complex issue, with many important aspects, and it requires a comprehensive solution. 12 million undocumented workers are currently living in the United States. Theyre working, paying taxes, and raising children who are U.S. citizens. They contribute to our economy, and it is time to bring them out of the shadows and end their unfair exploitation by unscrupulous employers in communities across the country.
Funds for border enforcement have increased dramatically over the years. The budget for the Border Patrol has increased from $263 million in 1990 to $1.6 billion today - a six-fold increase. Yet during this period, hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants have entered the U.S. each year. Our immigration system is broken, and it is clear that border enforcement alone will not fix it.
After long and thorough negotiations with the White House and fellow Senators, Republican and Democrat, we have developed a comprehensive immigration reform bill. The bill strengthens border security by increasing the number of border agents, building a border fence, using new technologies to monitor and enforce the border, and imposing higher penalties for workplaces that employ undocumented immigrants. The bill also contains a temporary worker program to help American businesses meet their employment. It addresses the millions of undocumented immigrants living in the United States by providing a means to obtain legal status after undergoing background checks, paying a fine, and going to the back of the line for greencards.
The bill is a realistic and comprehensive solution that will not only protect our borders, but also enable needed temporary workers to enter the country legally, and allow workers already here to earn legal status. It has already been discussed in the Senate once, and despite some setbacks, I hope we will be able to bring it back before the Senate for further debate and passage.
By heritage and history, America is a nation of immigrants, and we must preserve this tradition. Making necessary changes in our immigration laws will ensure that immigrant families today, as in the past, can continue to live the American dream and contribute to our prosperity, our security, and our values.
Again, thank you for writing to me about this important issue.
Sincerely,
Edward M. Kennedy”
DEAR MR.PRESIDENT, RHINOS AND DEMOCRATS,
WE THE PEOPLE DO NOT WANT AMNESTY OR IF YOU PERFER THE ILEGAL IMMIGRATION BILL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DEAR MR.PRESIDENT, RHINOS AND DEMOCRATS,
WE THE PEOPLE DO NOT WANT AMNESTY OR IF YOU PERFER THE ILEGAL IMMIGRATION BILL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You import a peon class ..you get a peon nation. Been to L.A. ? How about the L.A. high school drop out rate among hispanics ?...Been to any emergency rooms in southern California? How’s $2.5 billion sound? How big was the welfare state when the Ellis Island immigrants came to America? This crap started in 1965..and now it’s come to this..
—critics of the immigration measure could slow progress on other measures Reid wants debated in the next two weeks-
Above all, the energy bill. That’s a pretty huge issue in itself (the ethanol scam, what to do about refineries, nuclear power, etc.)
It’s absurd to think that the Senaturds would breeze through an issue like energy, just so they can sneak the amnesty past the people in time for vacation. With a lot of extra calls to the Senate on the energy issue, we could help to slow down the debate, keep them from reviving the amnesty.
It’s hard to believe that Tony Snow used to be a FReeper.
They talk about enforcement, but gloss over the fact that with one stroke of the pen there will BE NO ILLEGALS; therefore workplace enforcement will go away.
Since when are facts a non-answer?
In 2004, the borders were not secure. You and the Pat Buchannan brigades could have thrown Bush out for the Bum you think he is I dont think that never have never will. You could have run another candidate You didnt.
Rather ingenuous response. We were in the midst of the war in Iraq/Afghanistan and we had an incumbent Rep President under attack by the Left. At the time, Bush was not urging amnesty for 12 to 20 million illegals.
The Mexican border was not the access point for 911.
But it might very well be for future 9/11s. I provided you with links about terrorists coming across the Mexican border. We have no idea as to who has come here and may be in place now for some planned attack in the future. I might also add that part of border security is a system to monitor, track, and repatriate visa overstays. A number of 9/11 hijackers were in violation of their visas.
It is fair to say that this is a diversion of material and political capital that will also increase the risk of terrorism.
Oh come now, you sound like a Democrat. I guess we are increasing the risk of terrorism by being in Iraq due to a "diversion" of political capital. A nation that does not control its borders is not a nation. Money spent on securing the border is well spent.
I do not like the tone of these discussions.
You and Trent Lott.
It is not possible for enforcement legislation to be portrayed as anything but Shamnesty.
You have no idea what you are talking about. In 2006, the House passed H R 4437, an outstanding piece of legislation that stressed an enforcement first approach. The Reps voted 203-17 for it and also attracted 36 Dem votes, i.e., about 18% of the Dems. The WH stabbed the House Reps in the back in its lack of support of the bill. Read this bill and tell me what is "Shamnesty" about it.
Heads up!
House rejects security fence at the border
The U.S. House of Representatives shot down a proposal Friday by U.S. Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz, that would have built an 854-mile, double layered security fences along the Mexican border.
Franks noted that only 13 miles of a Mexican border fence approved last year have been built and that the fencing is needed to improve border security.
“With over 4,000 people crossing our southern border illegally every day, our border remains one of our country’s most critical national security vulnerabilities. In order to carry out an act of terrorism, a militant Islamist simply needs a porous border and a dangerous weapon,” said Franks in a statement.
Franks represents Glendale, Peoria, Sun City and Kingman.
The fence plan failed by 272 to 149 votes. Most Democrats (including Arizona congressional members Harry Mitchell, Gabrielle Giffords , Ed Pastor and Raul Grijalva) voted against the border fence plan.
Most Republicans (including Franks and fellow Arizona Reps. Rick Renzi and John Shadegg) voted for the comprehensive fence plan.
Mesa GOP Congressman Jeff Flake crossed party lines and vote against the border fence bill.
The House did approve an overall homeland and border security appropriations bill Friday. Mitchell said he backed that bill because it allocates federal money to hire more Border Patrol Agents and resources to deport violent illegal immigrant criminals.
“Deporting those illegal immigrants who have committed violent crimes is absolutely imperative to keeping our communities safe,” Mitchell said in a statement. Mitchell represents Tempe and Scottsdale.
The state’s four Democratic representatives and Renzi voted for the final bill. Flake, Franks and Shadegg opposed.
The votes could be a precursor to a big political fight over immigration reforms, a guest worker program and how to deal with the 12 million illegal immigrants already in the U.S.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1851241/posts
They are playing Russian roulette with a fully loaded revolver...
It is over. This bill is probably 95% passed now. I do not think people like DeMint or Tancredo are strong enough to defeat this bill either in the Senate or in committee. What the Senators have been offered are amendments that have no chance of succeeding but will give them political cover back home.
Once this passes and these Senators come home saying that they did all they could then our response is to tell them that they clearly are not strong enough to represent us effectively.
Lastly we must attack this problem at the local level. The leadership of the local party must be thrown out and new blood put in place. Until we kill the Republican Party as we know it and start new the next step will be to have our Senators support more legislative attacks on our country. Start the revolution at home first.
We do not need a third party we need the current party to be put to rest.
Unfortunately you are correct this bill will be passed. But only because Democrats are depending on their base to provide cover for them if the netroot Democrats opposed this bill no way would Harry Reid, Hillary Clinton or any other Dem support it.
Therefore weve go to convince the left wing militants that S.B. 1348 is poison for them also. No matter how appealing working in America seems to pro illegal supporters they must see how injurious it is to be taken advantage of by international Globalist who are using cheap Mexican labor as fodder to fuel their Global expansionist goals
This is the crucial point that I don’t think most Americans get! (I know many here do) But what is so infuriating about this whole ordeal it that this is Democrats second bite of the apple to legalize the illegal and nobody’s called them on it!
Did anyone read the quote from Lott talking about sorting out talk radio and the huffing and puffing young guys in the Senate. Lott has to rank near the top of the list as the most arrogant, and incompetent I might add, politician of our time.
Is it really possible to be such an arrogant fool that you are that far out of touch with the American people.
Surely the people of Mississippi do not support this idiot.
With nutballs like Lott leading the Republican Party can the fairness doctrine be far behind amnesty.
You forgot a very important adjective “ignorant” —Cheers to you!
“suggesting traitor, unpatriotic, worthy of impeachment. These are all ridiculous indications of an irrational mob.”
If you open the borders and allow us to be inundated with squatters, that is by definition treasonous (the same as allowing the invasion of an army). The Romans tried that same tactic with the goths and it ended in the dark ages.
I would suggest that while we may be a mob, self defense is never irrational.
Before making new laws concerning illegal immigrants, the United States should fully enforce the existing laws. This isnt being done. Our laws are being ignored, which means a breakdown in the rule of law. The immigrants are laughing at our legal system.
If existing laws are not enforced, Socialist Security, Medicare, Medicaid, other socialist programs, and our hospitals and schools will be overwhelmed. There will never be enough taxpayers to pay for all the things people are willing to accept for nothing. How many of the 12 to 20 million illegal immigrants have been apprehended, tried, and found guilty of breaking our laws? How many have been deported? Isnt it true that new illegal immigrants have little to fear if they manage to slip into the United States? Doesnt this encourage even more illegal immigrants?
How many more immigrants are illegally entering the United States every day? Why arent they being turned back at the border?
Saying this this amnesty bill is going to result in enforcement of anything is a shell game. They don’t want enforcement, Bush and most of Congress wants to give out citizenship.
Rome, Greece, and many other former great civilizations went this way. When the powers that be no longer care about the nation, that nation will pass away. We are at that point now.
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