Immigration Bill Will Return to Senate

In a terse statement last evening, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) announced the bill will be called up again next week, when the Senate expects to have completed action on an energy bill. Officials said they hoped this would allow lawmakers to vote on the immigration overhaul by the July 4 recess.

Before the decision, Democratic and Republican supporters agreed to a set of about 22 amendments, which will frame the remaining debate and refine issues already in the bill. The precise wording of the amendments wasn't released. Mr. Reid is betting that enough senators will be satisfied that their points of view have been expressed that they will be willing to break any remaining filibuster attempt by conservatives.

Before the decision, Democratic and Republican supporters agreed to a set of about 22 amendments, which will frame the remaining debate. Mr. Reid is betting that enough senators will then be willing to break any remaining filibuster attempt by conservatives.

No specific promises have been made by the Republican leadership, but Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky joined with Mr. Reid in making the announcement and meeting with supporters prior to its release.

This is not over yet. Bush refuses to give up this easily. It's his stubborn character. As I predicted he would try to resurrect it and call it something else. We have to keep our guard up. We need to keep the pressure up. We have no choice but to fight. The oligarchy wants cheap labor and a destruction of the middle class and the millionaire democrats want votes they can count on. A marriage made in HELL.

STAGE TWO is to go after the people who hire illegals. Start giving them fines and arresting them. Just catch ten or 100 of them on the nightly news. The magnet will dry up and most of the 12 million will go home by themselves.

As an addendum, we should anonymously call the IRS, people working "off the books" means taxes ain't being paid. Make anonymous fliers and hang them around the neighborhood, name names. It's time to embarrass these bustards, whether they give to the GOP or Rats, we don't need them.

CALL! CALL! CALL! CALL! AND KEEP CALLING TILL THE LINES FRY!

WRITE! WRITE! WRITE! WRITE! TILL YOU RUN OUT OF INK IN YOUR PEN!

Bombard the Democrats as well, especially the ones that ran on an anti illegal immigration plank and the ones in marginal districts who could be vulnerable. keep pounding on them. This is a bipartisan issue not a Conservative or Liberal issue BUT AN AMERICAN issue.

STOP AMNESTY NOW!! WE CAN DO IT!!

The best way to stop Shamnesty

I was stunned to receive this canned response from my stalwart conservative Senator (/sarc off) Specter. I'm in no way surprised at the contents though....I guess he skipped the part where I said to secure the borders and enforce the existing laws. I guess that in D.C. world lax enforcement is another way of saying "broken"....

Dear Mr. Miller :

Thank you for contacting my office regarding immigration. Our immigration system is broken and must be reformed. As the Ranking Member on the Senate Judiciary Committee in the 110 th Congress, I have worked tirelessly with my fellow Senators and both the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop a "grand compromise" on the subject of comprehensive immigration reform. This compromise will ensure that our borders are secure while providing practical solutions regarding the millions of undocumented immigrants that already reside within the United States .

This legislation makes border security a top priority by providing for 18,000 border patrol agents and requiring 370 miles of new fencing along the border. It will also provide for the resources to detain up to 27,500 aliens per day on an annual basis, effectively ending the old "catch and release" program. Importantly, this bill requires that all of these "triggers" designed to secure our borders be implemented before we begin any other step in this comprehensive legislation. The legislation also mandates the development of an effective electronic employment verification system, which will ensure that employers are able to verify the legal status of those they consider hiring.

In addition to the strong approach this bill will take towards border security, it also includes a firm but reasonable approach towards those individuals who are here illegally. Currently, there are more than 12 million people living in the United States without proper documentation. This legislation requires undocumented immigrants to go on "probationary" status and to go through extensive background checks. Once an individual has passed the necessary security checks, paid substantial fines and demonstrated proficiency in English, the individual may "earn" a right to remain in the United States . In order for an individual to be eligible to earn the right, the individual must return to their home country and apply through a consulate or an embassy. By requiring immigrants to earn their right to permanent legal status, this bill provides a reasonable solution to the country's immigration problems that is both tough and fair.

It is also very important for our economy that we create an effective temporary worker program that allows an employer to find a temporary worker when no willing US worker can be found. Those desiring temporary employment in the United States would be issued a "Y" visa, which would be good for two years. The migrant worker would be required to return to his or her home country for a period of one year before they are allowed to return back to the United States .

Another important aspect of this bill is the creation of a merit based system for allocating green cards. This new system will focus on attracting the immigrants who will make the biggest contribution to our society. The system is designed to reward those who demonstrate a proficiency in English, have received higher forms of education and other training, and have employment opportunities in the United States . Not only will this practice strengthen the economy of the United States , but it will also end the practice of "chain migration," a practice that allows people to immigrate simply by virtue of being related to those who are already here legally.

Again, I thank you for contacting my office. Although the bill has suffered recent setbacks, I am pleased that leaders on both sides of the aisle are determined to produce a viable immigration bill. I believe we will return to this matter shortly and produce a comprehensive bill. I will keep in mind your input as we continue to debate immigration. If you have any additional questions on this or any other issue, please do not hesitate to contact my office or visit my website at www.specter.senate.gov .

Sincerely,

Arlen Specter

Well written. Good Post. Well reasoned.

If they pass this, and they are doing their best, there is either going to have to be an open revolt or we lose our country.

We understand that we need to be preemptive with Iran. To let them have nuclear weapons is absurd and no intelligent civilization would allow that to happen.

The same is true of this amnesty bill.

We need to kill it dead.

Our government is out of control. It no longer represents the citizens of this country.

Sorry, Jim Robinson, I know you don't like this kind of talk on Free Republic, but the truth is we need some kind of revolution. An overthrow of those in government who are trying to destroy this country.

I think we should all refuse to pay taxes. No taxation without representation. Our founding fathers understood the nature of government. The right to bear arms comes right after the freedom of speech.

Not so very long ago I would have considered my words treason and the ravings of a lunatic. I pray the disaster I see coming is nothing but the product of a warped view of what is taking place.

Civilization as we know it is being threatened on all sides.

As of now, the US Congress wants to give amnesty and financial booty to over 50,000 criminals (and their families), illegals who have committed felonies against American citizens and legal residents. More American citizens have died by the hands of illegal aliens than Americans have died in the war on terror. Several foreign governments, at national and regional levels, openly support and finance the unhindered flow of their criminal class into the United States (Mexico, Guatemala, Brasil to name a few).

Article III. Section 3. Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court.
The Congress shall have power to declare the punishment of treason, but no attainder of treason shall work corruption of blood, or forfeiture except during the life of the person attainted.

Once Northern Mexican politicians started openly declaring their support for the Atzlan concept, while at the same time actively supporting the flow of immigrants across the border, and giving political support to various immigrant groups here in the US, any US politician who openly comes out in support of the concept that at it's core has the dismantling of the United States as it's paramount goal, those politicians have crossed a line that has been well established by US law in previous eras of this country's judicial memory. BTW, I actually just wanted to say that "free reign" is a Eggcorn, and has become aceptable usage. Further info over here: lascribe.net Got a bit carried away.

Article IV Section 4. The United States shall guarantee to every state in this union a republican form of government, and shall protect each of them against invasion; and on application of the legislature, or of the executive (when the legislature cannot be convened) against domestic violence.

With one state making claim, the country is thrown into crisis. But the situation wouldn't improve.

Laddiebuck --

You can type anything you like...''free reign'', for example, and claim that, because OTHER illiterates use that construction, that it has, somehow, mystically, become ''legitimate''.

You can also shove that argument right square up your anal sphincter, right along with the notion that the ''Immigration Amnesty'' will benefit Americans.

Oh, yes, you CAN do this. And -- know what? -- thank you. It marks you as just another illiterate.

Tough luck, boyo. The notion that an illiterate construction (for instance, ''irregardless''), if used by a sufficient number of morons, is somehow mystically binding on the rest of the population as ''legitimate'', well -- that's just another delusion of the illiterate.

Sorry to find that you're taking the part of the illiterati.

May the good Lord help you, because -- quite obviously -- you haven't the wit to help yourself.

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STAGE TWO is to go after the people who hire illegals. Start giving them fines and arresting them. Just catch ten or 100 of them on the nightly news. The magnet will dry up and most of the 12 million will go home by themselves.

As an addendum, we should anonymously call the IRS, people working "off the books" means taxes ain't being paid. Make anonymous fliers and hang them around the neighborhood, name names. It's time to embarrass these bustards, whether they give to the GOP or Rats, we don't need them.

"VOTE RINO!

We'll put a sugar coating on the 'rat cyanide pill!"