Free Republic

House Republican leaders will introduce a petition drive today to force Democrats to debate immigration this year, using a Democrat-sponsored bill to box them into taking a stand on employers who hire illegal immigrants. Republican leaders reached the decision yesterday evening to initiate a "discharge petition," a parliamentary move minority parties can use to force issues onto the House floor over objections of the majority. The last successful use was on campaign finance in 2002. But Republicans' move also puts Sen. John McCain, their party's presumed presidential nominee, in a tough spot. He has consistently opposed enhanced security efforts that...

Measures include strategies on employment, legalization, policing. By Eunice MoscosoWASHINGTON BUREAUSaturday, March 08, 2008 WASHINGTON — Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are pushing bills that crack down on illegal immigration, keeping the issue alive in Congress during a volatile election year.In the House, conservative Democrats are asking their party leaders to support an enforcement bill sponsored by freshman Rep. Heath Shuler, D-N.C.The legislation, dubbed the Secure America with Verification and Enforcement Act, would increase the Border Patrol by 8,000 people; train more state and local police officers to enforce immigration law; and require that within four years, all...

For months, leading Democrats like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chief Rahm Emanuel have tried to talk tough on illegal immigration. Mr. Emanuel told The Washington Post last year that immigration is "the third rail of American politics," adding that "anyone who doesn't realize that isn't with the American people," earning himself angry denunciations from the far-left fringe. Last month, Mrs. Pelosi joined House Minority Leader John Boehner in announcing that the House-passed economic stimulus bill would "not allow any taxpayer funds to be distributed to illegals." The Democratic leadership's efforts to sound tough on illegal...

DEAR OPPONENTS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION.... AND SUPPORTERS OF ATTRITION THROUGH ENFORCEMENT & SELF-DEPORTATION, Hard on the heels of your tremendous defeat of the DREAM Act amnesty in the Senate last week, we have our best chance yet in this Democratic-controlled Congress for improving enforcement against illegal immigration. (Some email services failed to deliver my analysis of our amnesty victory, and many of your computer's blocked the analysis from getting into your in-box, we are learning. You can read the analysis at: http://numbersusa.com/actionalerts) North Carolina Democratic Representative Heath Shuler will soon be introducing a great immigration enforcement bill: The SAVE ACT...