Posted on 04/19/2005 3:45:36 PM PDT by BurbankKarl
WASHINGTON — The Senate today blocked a measure that would have created a path to citizenship for an estimated 500,000 farmworkers and their families, dealing a setback to those who advocate legalization as the key to immigration reform.
The measure's supporters failed to secure the 60 votes needed to prevent a filibuster by opponents, ending the effort by Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) to attach the plan to an $80-billion emergency funding bill that mainly would pay for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Under the plan, any illegal farmworker who could demonstrate that he or she had worked in agriculture for at least 100 days in the 18-month period before Dec. 31, 2004 and meet certain other criteria would be eligible for temporary residency.
Once the worker obtained temporary residency, he or she would have to work another 360 days over at least the next three years and no more than six years to be eligible for permanent residency. The spouse and children of farmworkers who obtained permanent residency would also be eligible for permanent residency.
Opponents attacked the measure as a thinly disguised amnesty program that would only increase the flow of illegal immigration into this country, and said it was inappropriate to try to attach such a sweeping change to an emergency spending bill needed to supply troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
The CS Monitor states that Ed Goeas's poll says 80% of the voting public don't think mass deportations are realistic.
You should get down on you knees and thank Bush and Frist for stopping this.
But it ain't over. AgJobs, or its ugly step-brother aka the McCain-Kennedy compromise will be back.
I hope you noticed that 53 senators voted for AgJobs.
I vote "AYE"!!!!
But I bet you would have a hard time passing that amendment in the GOP caucus!!!!
Exactly!! I'm sure about right now they realize they were on the wrong side in this dog fight! I hope they get booted in 06 by a real Conservative..
"You should get down on you knees and thank Bush and Frist for stopping this."
Uh, right theres your problem, the fact that you're on your knees for ANY politician.
Greatest news today other than the new Pope is a real conservative whom the libs are calling "God's Rotweiller." Grrrrr - get 'em Papa!
Same difference, basically it says that mass deportations are not feasible, despite the almost pornographic prognostications of some on FR of such an event.
""...100 days in the 18-month period before Dec. 31, 2004 and meet certain other criteria would be eligible for temporary residency."
Work 100 days out of 547 days, for those who think that crops are not harvested on weekends, work 100 days out of 360 days.
No wonder these people need subsidies!
When they become citizens they will understand the public assistance programs better than the people who wrote the programs or the legislators who approved them.
Can you tell me a reason why they will not continue being the parasites they were prior to citizenship?
One more qustion, can you tell me the benefits of citizenship for them?
A permanent Green Card would be their permanent membership card to the worlds largest and best public assistance program sytem known to man!
I'd guess if they asked 800 likely voter's in San Diego, CA., Brownsville, TX, or Niland, CA.....the poll would be skewed differently.
I think most reasonable American's would agree that when illegal aliens of any nationality are apprehended...they ought to be sent back to their country of origin. Not turned loose and rewarded with work visas, schooling, healthcare, foodstamps...etc..etc...
I dunno...maybe I'm wrong.
FWIW-
Maybe the politicians are hearing the "folks"
"According to an Ed Goeas poll 80% of voting Americans are against that idea."
I find this poll highly dubious. Just as the polls dealing with Terri Sciavo, Catholics and Church doctorine and global warming, I doubt if there is a scintilla of truth. 'Sides since billy bob ain't CIC anymore we are again a nation of laws, not a nation of polls.
Yeah and they should hear the folks.
I don't know where some have gotten the idea that the folks are supposed to keep their mouths shut and obey the party.
I don't think we are keeping quiet...We don't often scream alot but this issue is hot.
Hmm, well gee, maybe if the loud mouths would keep their mouths shut, things could get done instead of the disaterous staus quo we have now.
Oh that's right some like having the disasterous staus quo to keep the issue alive, nevermind.
More of and the same typical BS.
Actually I'm surprised that it wasn't 100% of Americans who don't condone mass deportations, because mass deportations would the least sensible way to going about solving the problem of sending millions of illegal aliens back to their home countries. We need to attack the problem at its root cause: jobs and taxpayer funded services. Cut illegal aliens off from both of these and illegal aliens would have no reason to stay here, or come here in the first place.
I am 100% opposed to illegal immigration, but I am also 100% opposed to mass deportations, because it would be 100% unnecessary.
You need to expand on that.
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