Durbin proposes a sit down with Kyl on immigration

The Hill ^ | May 15, 2011 | Jamie Klatell

[jazusamo]

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin on Sunday asked Minority Whip Jon Kyl to sit down and talk about comprehensive immigration reform.

The duo, appearing on "Fox News Sunday," didn't agree on much when discussing immigration -- Kyl said border security is the first priority and Durbin pressed for passage of the DREAM Act -- but Durbin made a pitch.

"Here is the offer I'll make to Jon Kyl and John McCain. I will sit down with you, I will work with you to have border security beyond what the president has done," Durbin said. "I will go even further to make sure that our border is safe, and to stop, as much as humanly possible, illegal immigration, if you will join with us in comprehensive immigration reform so that we can identify those living in this country, we can give the children under the DREAM Act an opportunity to have a good life in this country, and we can finally fix this broken system in good faith."

Kyl responded, "Dick Durbin and I sat down before to talk about things, and I'm very happy to do it on this very important issue. But I will say, we have got to secure the border in order to achieve these other results as well."

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has vowed to hold a vote the DREAM Act, legislation creating a route to legal residency — and ultimately citizenship — for illegal-immigrant students.

The latest version of the DREAM Act, introduced Wednesday by Durbin, is nearly identical to last year's House-passed proposal which failed to pass the Senate. It offers a pathway to citizenship for between 1 million and 2 million illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. before the age of 16, have lived in the country at least five years, have a high school diploma or the equivalent, and enter college or join the military.

Like the House-passed bill, beneficiaries would be ineligible for Pell grants and must be able to read, write and speak English. Those stipulations were added last year to attract support from Republicans, most of whom characterize the DREAM Act as an amnesty bill that rewards those who broke the law when they entered the country.

[jazusamo]

The comments after the article are almost entirely against Durbin and amnesty, the GOP had better not cave on the DREAM Act.

[JudgemAll]

Typical passive aggressive attack of the democrates, suckering in the GOP every time. “I am nice, I want to sit down with you, in private, let us be bipartisan and compromise on this”... and meanwhile they have a knife stabbing in the back and focus on their terms, period, not even on policy, just on winning their stuck on stupid... making themselves look good for being so stuck on stupid...

[Mouton]

Keep your friends close but your enemies closer.

[JudgemAll]

Just the blasphemingly abused term of DREAM act tells us all about the complete loss of sense of the sacred of AMerica and all those of us paying for this... both Americans and illegals... that the democrats like to wield.

Nobody takes this to paradize Durbin... too bad little children.

[FlingWingFlyer]

Never trust a DemocRAT named Dick. Pass on the "sit down"!

I want someone to tell me WHY we need "immigration reform". I'd like to see a little immigration law enforcement "reform" first. The lazyass Feds are not doing their jobs! They need to get with the program or go look for another line of work! They are not defending our borders and the foreign invasion continues.

[JudgemAll]

YEah, “I have a dream”... they prop MLK and then they have him shot and replaced. Did the same with JFK, or profited the same way. None of these sniveling demoralized nincompoops would have made it where they are at without KGB help back then, let us remember that.

[Scotsman will be Free]

No amnesty. Ever! Do not trust any democrat. They always lie.

[jazusamo]

Well said. It’s pathetic how congenial the Rats can get when they want something they suspect they can’t get, all too often the GOP has given it to them.

[jazusamo]

Please bump the Freepathon or click above and donate or become a monthly donor!

[Waryone]

Problem is Kyl is already amnesty friendly. (I believe he voted for the Bush comprehensive immigration bill.) So I’m not surprised at all Turban Durbin wants to sit down with him.

[Prokopton]

Keep your friends close but your enemies closer.

Not if your enemy is wearing a suicide vest.

[okie01]

If I were to have a private sit-down with Dickie Durbin, I'd insist on his undergoing a full security pat-down first.

As trustworthy as a snake...

[Da Coyote]

Durbin the turbin?

Never, never, nevah trust a dim-bulb-crat (hey, a RINO is indeed that)

They are so sleazy they make a mullah appear honest.

[Mouton]

I don’t think Dick Turbin is wearing a suicide vest! Not even in symbolic fashion as he is pretty safe in his senate seat. Any RINO that steps over to the other side on this debate is walking into a political mine field though and I hope they are made aware of that fact. The nightmare act must not pass. Of course this is an (.)bama attempt to divide the GOP on the issue and it keeps them away from attacking on the critical issues like the economy.

[Ole Okie]

No one should trust Turban Durbin on this immigration issue - or any other issue.

[Salvey]

I will work with you to have border security beyond what the president has done," Durbin said.

A tacit admission by this 'RAT that his dear leader has not done enough to secure the border.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

I’m all for such a sit-down, but the illegal immigrants who committed violent crimes in the US should be invited to wander the halls of the Senate.

[Lawgvr1955]

I live in IL. Our state is a hell hole IMHO. Hillary comes from here, Obama in a manner of speaking, Durbin, the list goes on and on.

Can't stand Durbin and would believe NOTHING coming from him.

[FrdmLvr]

Someone posted a thread on FreeRepublic a couple of days ago having to do with how the TEA party first got started. I myself posted the Rick Santelli rant from the floor of the stock exchange on CNBC as the start of the movement, but I knew there was another incident which had happened before, but I couldn't remember it at the time. This was it!

The summer before, (2008?) the DREAM Act was being forced through Congress. The people were outraged and began calling their senators and representatives in massive numbers. We shut down the phone lines day after day until they finally shelved it.

The DREAM Act was the first real citizen "uprising" in recent memory.

We have to let Congress know we will NOT accept amnesty for illegal aliens.

[blueplum]

“the system” isn’t broken

immigration reform tied to border security reinforces the appearance of special preference for hispanic illegals

special immigration preference of one nation over and above 159 others artificially destroys American diversity. And, if the figures that 75% of Mexican illegals with anchor babies receive some form of government assistance (i.e., WIC, SSI/disability, Headstart/freelunch/childcare/AFDC) are correct, coupled with dismal highschool graduation rates for the same group, immigration preference of this group also artificially burdens America economically, with no promise of any future benefit for the USA.

wouldn’t we be better off financially in the long run just taking the Mexican government over and doing a little close-to-home nation-building?