Congress Nears Deal on Illegal Immigrants (breaking on cable networks)

AP/Yahoo News ^ | 4-6-06 | DAVID ESPO

[STARWISE]

WASHINGTON - In a last stab at compromise, Senate Republicans and Democrats reported progress Thursday toward agreement on legislation opening the way to legal status and eventual citizenship for many of the 11 million immigrants now in the U.S. illegally.

"There's been tremendous progress overnight," said Sen. Harry Reid (news, bio, voting record) of Nevada, the Democratic leader, while Majority Leader Bill Frist also expressed optimism that a long-sought compromise might be at hand.

There was no immediate reaction from President Bush, who has made immigration legislation a key priority.

The developments occurred after Frist unveiled a new bill late Wednesday night on the subject as the Senate headed into a test vote on the most sweeping immigration bill in two decades.

In general, the legislation would provide for enhanced border security, regulate the flow of future immigrants into the United States and settle the legal fate of the estimated 11 million men, women and children already in the country.

It was the fate of the illegal immigrant population that proved hardest to legislate, and it has left the Senate on the verge of gridlock for days.

(snip)

Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., as well as other key senators met before the vote to review terms of a proposed compromise.

In general, it would require illegal immigrants who have been in the United States between two years and five years to return to their home country briefly, then re-enter as temporary workers. They could then begin a process of seeking citizenship.

Illegal immigrants here longer than five years would not be required to return home; those in the country less than two years would be required to leave without assurances of returning, and take their place in line with others seeking entry papers.

[riri]

Who is going to pick the lettuce once the 12 million illegals are made citizens and refuse to work for slave wages any longer?>

The 12 million who will follow and still be illegals by choice.

[Liz]

"Teddy's going to celebrate McKennedy-----he and
McCain are gonna drive off---I mean over---the bridge."

[XJarhead]

When enforcement of laws/rules are consistently applied to the few who break them, it acts as a deterrent to those who may be THINKING about doing it themselves.

You've admitted yourself that that current laws aren't enforced anyway. So by your own logic, the status quo is unacceptable.

If you want an analogy, here it is. You caught your 4 year old taking cookies, and want to punish him because cookies aren't good for him. But your soft-hearted spouse doesn't agree, and says that a four year old is going to take them if they're there. And unfortunately, like Congress, if you and your spouse don't agree, no punishment can work.

So you compromise. You agree you won't spank the 4 year old, and she agrees not to bring any more cookies in the house. Now whether or not the 4 year old gets the message on the cookies really doesn't matter, because there won't be any cookies in the house anyway. By the same token, the "message" you send to more illegals with an amnesty doesn't mean squat if it becomes much harder to cross the border in the first place.

And they will CONTINUE to break more laws, whether providing fraudulent documents or going further out of the clutches of INS....what illegal alien within the U.S., who is a criminal element within their native country, would ever out themselves to the INS?

"All illegal aliens who register by July 1, 2006, and can show that they were present in the U.S. on or before July 1, 2004, will be eligible for amnesty and issued a "blue card. Any illegal found not to have registered by July 1, 2006 will be deported."

So the answer to your question probably is "almost all of them". Any illegal who qualifies and did not register prior to July 1 is an idiot, because they've just thrown away their one chance to remain here legally, and for good.

[ARealMothersSonForever]

Since I am in the "All" category, I will give this a shot. The cite was "largest percentage of those jobs are done by US CITIZENS." The reply reinforced the cite. 95.1% citizens in the workforce, 76% citizens in farming, 83% citizens in cleaning, 86% citizens in construction, 88% citizens in food preparation. Exactly what is the point?

[mthom]

You just wont know what to do when Bill Richardson is Dem VP candidate.

[BigSkyFreeper]

All they have to do is secure the border first, and things can move forward.

Good luck trying. We can build a 20 foot high steel wall, and some illegal alien probably has a 21 foot long ladder.

[nicmarlo]

Oh, that I know, but because the illegals working at Farmer Bill's are not committing a felony crime (though Farmer Bill is by hiring them), they're left alone. I was told by one of our local law enforcement, they don't go after them because, more or less, the Feds told them THEY don't want to pick them up UNLESS the illegal has committed a felony, as there's only a couple Feds handling illegals in NY....the rest have been sent to work at the border. How's that?

[johnny7]

Correct... the GOP is the majority... and they will be the party who will wear this around their necks come November. We here will still deny our votes to Democrats... but the the sheeple won't.

[catroina54]

You got a lettuce-picking machine in your garage?

Who is going to pick the lettuce once the 12 million illegals are made citizens and refuse to work for slave wages any longer?

---

get them all out.
i can chose to pay the price for a head of lettuce.
i am forced to pay the taxes SUSIDIZING all the businesses hiring illegals and all the welfare benefits the illegals collect while working tax free.

[Liberator]

"Who is going to pick the lettuce once the 12 million illegals are made citizens and refuse to work for slave wages any longer?"

The NEXT 12 million Mexicans laughing their collective @sses off lined up right behind the original law-breakers.

They'll be singing "Your Land Is My Land" in honor of Woody Guthrie en Espanol.

[inquest]

I can't seriously entertain the notion that a good double-layered fence won't significantly slow down the flow of illegals. Few are claiming that it would prevent every last one from getting across. Israel's experience with fences has shown that they are effective.

[JeffAtlanta]

Me: Who is going to pick the lettuce once the 12 million illegals are made citizens and refuse to work for slave wages any longer?

You; The 12 million who will follow and still be illegals by choice.

Exactly - amnesty doesn't solve the illegal immigration problem - it just worsens it. All it will do is create 12 million new democratic voters and create 12 million more welfare recipients.

Illegal immigrants will then be imported to do the work that former illegal immigrants will no longer do.

[georgia2006]

""Is not getting Social Security reform a high crime?""


what a stupid question:

of course not!!! There is a legaslative process

Should Cinton been impeached because he didnt get health care reform??

[SUSSA]

"White boy" is a racial slur?

LOL!!

###

It is in the hood. Come with me to Fair Park and Oak Cliff one day, you'll be in for a surprise. It's code for "White N*&^%"

It's used the same way White racists use the "N Word".

[Do not dub me shapka broham]

Remember those fetid, congested banlieues in the Paris suburbs that erupted in paroxysms of violence and hatred during the French intifada?

Well, that's just a taste of what's to come if this amnesty goes through.

If you like Los Angeles, then you'll love the New American Way.

[Joe Brower]

For the last three election cycles, I've invested around two month's of paying salary per election year in time spent working for various candidates, including GWB in both 2000 and 2004.

If this bill passes, I will not vote, much less do election work, for any GOP candidate for a long time to come. I'll spend the time practicing and teaching other skills.

[Do not dub me shapka broham]

Heh.

:)

[ARealMothersSonForever]

Our economy is expanding in large part due to massive govt. spending on defense, public works, job programs, college tuition, business and farm credits, etc.
If you say so. A link would be nice. At any rate, this assertion would lead me to believe that all of this uproar is about the illegals getting the lions share of these defense contracts, public works projects, job program benefits, college tuition, and business/farm credits. If that is the case, I would love to see some credible supporting documents. Or even a link.

[Do not dub me shapka broham]

It's always on the blink.

Good point.