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.

[bill1952]

Yeah, I pass by thousands of illegal Chinese here every day. LOL!

[ARealMothersSonForever]

Considering the source, you may think whatever. Bush-bot and troll in the same day! I took my beatings on the Meyers nomination (I opposed), and the Dubai deal(I opposed). But you knew this because you checked my history, right? Any reputable link that you can provide in support of the assertion that illegal immigrants can not and do not pay taxes (Federal and SSA), please provide. Oh, by the way, here are a couple that say the can, and do. Note the unreliable .gov extensions:
"ITINs are issued regardless of immigration status because both resident and nonresident aliens may have U.S. tax return and payment responsibilities under the Internal Revenue Code."
http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96287,00.html#what
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1915.pdf
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10022.html#pay

[SeaBiscuit]

And if there were no freebies.

[brytlea]

Doesnt' that seem a little odd? The longer you've been breaking US law, the more likely we are to let you stay. Weird bunch, Congress.
susie

[clawrence3]

I don't believe there will be any "self immolation of our nation", but I personally would not mind the historical bookends of the Grand Old Party being the abolition of slavery AND abortion. That being said, I will remain GOP until that happens.

[AmusedBystander]

It is unpatriotic not to oppose him to the exact extent that by inefficiently or otherwise he fails in his duty to stand by the country.

I agree with your quote. I just don't agree that this immigration bill is bad for the country. These people are here and have to be dealt with. My original comment is that there has never been any real penalty for sneaking into this country so it's like giving amnesty to a parking violation. Not going to change our lives one way or another. California is the main magnet and they have proven time after time that they have no intention of enforcing the laws nor limiting the benefits. The President is merely trying to bring these guys into society and try and get a better handle on them.

You can build all the walls you want but this country will not shoot on sight and local authorities won't prosecute the employers so it boils down to try and make them good productive citizens or leave them in the shadows. I think they should be harassed by bill collectors, tax collectors, and telemarketeers like the rest of us.

[absolootezer0]

bah.. maybe they'll all goto massoftwo$hit$ for the swimmers new statewide health care.

[Do not dub me shapka broham]

Maybe.

He just doesn't care.

He seems to think of himself as belonging to a certain elite class of politicians-part of a political dynasty-that is immune to public dissatisfaction.

That's why whenever some numbskull mentions that prospect of his big brother Jeb being given the White House my veins start to bulge and I have to restrain myself from making a comment that I'll later regret.

[Roccus]

That's only the ones they caught. Illegals come in all sizes, shapes and colors.

[Do not dub me shapka broham]

You'd be surprised.

[JeffAtlanta]

I'm in Metrowest, too. Some of these towns are going to be all Brazilian, Indian, and Vietnamese before this is over.

Don't know about the Brazilians but the odds are very high that the vast majority of Vietnamese and Indians are here legally.

[NELSON111]

Me. . .I know that putting the Dems in power is far worse than anything the Repubs have done. I'll be voting for the Republican candidate. (Only way I wouldn't is if the candidate is so stinky he/she is worse than the Dem, and that isn't likely.)

And that's your choice. And by doing that...in another 20 years where will you be? You will have gone from Reagan...to Bush...to what? Why? Because we didn't teach them a lesson before it's too late. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. I would rather teach them a lesson now and then get the power back in a couple of years (and with the filibuster, the GOP with any stones left ...those who now feared the ballot box...could ensure bad legislation didn't go anywhere)...rather than continue to give them my vote. Why? Because here's what they are thinking (and you are KIDDING yourself if you don't think they are): "I can do anything...and they will still vote for me...no matter how much I ignore them."

They are there to represent us...and when they constantly take a leak on my leg and tell me it's raining...well...I'm getting tired of it....and you should be too. I really don't care if they do have an "R" by their name. Matter of fact, that makes the "crime" that much more egregious. I will still support my local and state people, but I will be done nationally until they fix their problem.

[clawrence3]

You can DO that here?! Post whatever you want and demand that no one call you on it?

[jackadams]

That's exactly what she wants and Rush just repeated what you said. Their are Americans who want grunt workers in here to do their bidding while pretending they are compassionate to illegals while at the same time saying that they will, the illegals, will pump up our social security system. Rush asked and who pays for the additional social services to them? And why not let the poor from all over the world come in here? He offered Middle easterns, Haitians.

[azhenfud]

"Tell me. What does an illegal look like? Give me a profile."

1) Cannot produce basic identification or documentation, a requirement to immigrate legally, 2) cannot communicate in conversational English, also a requirement to immigrate legally, 3) 95% chance they're of Hispanic decendancy, as reported from 2002 GAO reports, 4) eager to work for less than average labor rates and prefers payment in cash, a sure sign of illegality.

Now, employers love to claim they don't "knowingly" hire illegals, but the fact is business owners cannot be that "document" or "business" dumb and continue to operate. That claim defies simple logic. WHO ELSE would take laborious jobs for menial wages if they didn't have to be looking over their shoulder? what competent business owner can't see the obvious? Then to claim they "didn't knowingly" hire illegal aliens is, of course, their lie of convenience.

[STARWISE]

Are you serious???

[bill1952]

Check my posts. - I've already started doing that. I wonder what they will think?

I would love to see the staffer that opens those envelopes!

[raybbr]

I've given up trying to understand it.

Does this help. Or, does it add to the confusion?

I have never understood Bush's stance on this issue. However, it's clear from his words that he favors hispanics. For whatever reason.

We are now one of the largest Spanish-speaking nations in the world. We're a major source of Latin music, journalism and culture.

Just go to Miami, or San Antonio, Los Angeles, Chicago or West New York, New Jersey ... and close your eyes and listen. You could just as easily be in Santo Domingo or Santiago, or San Miguel de Allende.

For years our nation has debated this change -- some have praised it and others have resented it. By nominating me, my party has made a choice to welcome the new America.

As I speak, we are celebrating the success of democracy in Mexico.

George Bush from a campaign speech in Miami, August 2000.

You can read the speech here.

Here is an excerpt of a good critique of that speech:

In equating our intimate historic bonds to our mother country and to Canada with our ties to Mexico, W. shows a staggering ignorance of the civilizational facts of life. The reason we are so close to Britain and Canada is that we share with them a common historical culture, language, literature, and legal system, as well as similar standards of behavior, expectations of public officials, and so on. My Bush Epiphany By Lawrence Auster

[Do not dub me shapka broham]

What really sickens me about this whole debate-if you can even describe this sham occurring on Capitol Hill as such-is the sense of entitlement.

It simply galls me that people think they are allowed to wantonly violate our laws simply because they happened to be born in Mexico.

Evidently, Martha Stewart took the wrong tack in her perjury trial.

All she had to do was provide a fake birth certificate attesting to the fact that she had been born in Guanajuato, and she would have been off scot-free.

[glowworm]

It doesn't matter if it's a third party, or a real second party. Something has to give. If the GOP thinks that it is going to continue to win elections by pandering to groups that will never vote for the Republican Party, and destroying the middle class, then it is sorely mistaken.

Larry (give me my cheap farm laborers) Craig just said in a C-SPAN speech that illegals pay more in bogus SS numbers then services they use.. Cough, Cough.. This is questionable truth telling, but if they know definatly which numbers are NOT valid, why don't they go and PICK THEM UP PRONTO. Yeach! I could throw up.. PLEASE, PLEASE get those kinds of ppl out of office in the PRIMARY before voting becomes automatic in November. He is one of the RINOS who voted for McKennedy in the Jude-ditch-ual committee. Thanks for nothing Larry!