Posted on 04/06/2006 8:33:43 AM PDT by 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
LOL - I'm willing to give it up if it will help the problem.
Those were my first two thoughts exactly when I heard it this morning.
Unbelievable.
Jeff allow me to profile.
Highway 9 in Forsyth County in the mornings waiting for the pickup trucks (cash & carry).
The same in Marietta
The same in Lawrenceville, Norcross and Duluth.
The same Anytown USA
Of course it's mainly Mexicans.
But there are OTM illegals that are causing problems in other areas. Unless you only want to solve the mexican problem and let the others slide.
"1986 repeats itself"
Alan Simson stated that legislation was the worst mistake of his political career.
I owe the Fed exactly 2 bucks and have hundreds of peso notes leftover from trips to old Mex when it was a somewhat decent neighbor. Do you think they would take the equivalent in pesos?
what's really bad about 27 hospitals closing on the border, is that this is a very poor and sparsely populated area. The legal citizens of TX, some poor and elderly are having to drive many, many miles to now get medical attention. I fear many of them wont with gas approaching 3,00 a gallon. The third world is already with us.
Yes Sir. My parents came here from Italy in the '50s. They denounced Italy forever. The day they were elligible for citizenship they were the first on line.
They love this country. They learned the language perfectly. They assimilated into this society. They helped build the country back then. They taught their children to love this country.
My Brother-in-Law just became a citizen last week. A wonderful man who quizzed the whole family on the citizenship test itself.
good point. this thing will cost a fortune in processing the illegals who will become legal. wonderful. i hate this congress. they NEVER listen. i will NEVER vote republican again. i mean it. i am so fed up near dems and total dems. its all about the money.
Did you send that to comments@whitehouse.gov?
Were you against Carter's "amnesty" for draft-dodgers and deserters? What if part of this "amnesty" requires everyone to get in line AFTER those already seeking legal status the right way?
I concur. Proof for me shouldn't matter. The propensity to ignore or blatantly break our laws should be evidence enough that papering over a past infraction will only lead to another - yet, this time the prize is bigger - it's citizenship, so there'll be more of an effort to defraud.
Will the plan include registering for Selective Service?
Were you against Carter's "amnesty" for draft-dodgers and deserters? What if part of this "amnesty" requires everyone to get in line AFTER those already seeking legal status the right way?
>40 illeal Chinese found in a container on the West coast.
Drop in the bucket compared to the amount of people crossing the border every day.
There were probably 10 times that number that many illegals crossing in one minute.
I agree Nelson. Better to get from an enemy than a so called friend. But I am not voting for a Democrat, never. But I won't vote for any Repub who had anything to do with a compromise or triangulated for election day votes. Voters have got to be wise to these tricks.
This idiotic punditocracy keeps regurgitating the same cliched talking points and expects us to ingest them without question.
Well, if we don't import 20+ million illegals, then we won't be able to buy cheap produce.
I don't eat vegetables!
Never have, never will.
That schmuck who's mayor of my city-not with my vote, mind you-well, if we don't allow 20+ million illegal aliens to gain citizenship, then how will we play golf?
I don't play golf, and never have!
Nor do I have any particular desire to play it, even though a golf course is located less than 12 blocks from my house.
What planet are these cretins living on?
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