Posted on 03/09/2002 12:36:45 PM PST by sarcasm
WASHINGTON - House Republican leaders say they're ready to take up a bill that would grant amnesty to certain illegal immigrants and hope to pass it before President Bush visits Mexico this month.
Bush has pressed for the measure since last spring, when approximately 200,000 illegal immigrants who qualified for amnesty missed the deadline to apply. A bill extending the deadline was sidetracked after the Sept. 11 attacks.
"I know this is something the White House wants," said John Feehery, spokesman for House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill.
Gaylen Barksdale, spokesman for House Majority Leader Dick Armey, R-Texas, said GOP leaders want to bring the measure to the floor Tuesday along with a larger immigration security bill.
Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., chairman of the Immigration Reform Caucus, opposes amnesty and criticized the move by House leaders. They put the measure on a fast track, Tancredo said, "to have it available for the president to bestow on (Mexican President) Vicente Fox as a little gift."
Bush is scheduled to meet with Fox in Monterrey, Mexico, on March 21 and 22.
The amnesty provision would allow immigrants to start the process of applying for visas without first returning to their home countries and applying from there. That is significant because most illegal immigrants are barred from re-entering the United States once they leave and the application process from their home countries can take years.
To apply, immigrants must have a close relative or a job sponsor who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. The job or family relationship must have existed before Aug. 15, 2001, and the immigrant must have been in the country on Dec. 21, 2000.
The immigrants must pay $1,000 fines for entering the country illegally and an additional fee for application and fingerprinting processing.
The deadline to apply would be Nov. 30, or four months after the rules are written, whichever is earlier.
What's the rationale for extending? And please ... nobody say they were intimidated and fearful of applying.
Since when is giving the United States away considered a little gift? Don't these idiots remember or respect the hundreds of thousands of people that have died or shed blood to protect this great nation?
Hey Bush!! Paint AF-1 black and remove all United States markings from her before you take it to Mexico.
I want amnesty for NFA weapons.
There is nothing that the illegal aliens provide that couldn’t be done by people growing fat and lazy off of welfare.
Owl _ Eagle
“Guns before butter.”
An interesting tidbit from the USM Constitution of 1824 (the one which the Texians swore to adhere):
Article 147: There is forever prohibited the penalty of confiscation of estates.
...and greater and quicker access to your tax dollars than you or your children.
I know that my own Rep has no inclination to support it, since a sizable number of his constituents are legal immigrants, and they are disinclined to reward scofflaws and cheaters.
And since illegal immigrants don't vote, I'd say it has a snowball's chance in hell.
Regardless, I vow that if any Republican votes for amnesty - and if Bush continues to promote it - that they will lose my vote(s) for as long as they continue down this path. Period.
Bad timing, bad policy, Mr.President.
not. quisling bastards.
I've only been to Tiajuana, Baja has better surfing I hear...
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