Illegal Immigration Watch: McCain – “Not Enough Votes for Senate Judiciary Committee Bill”
Posted by Flap in Illegal Immigration, Politics
U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., right, and Texas Gov. Rick Perry participate in a news conference Monday, April 3, 2006, at TranStar, the region’s traffic-control center in Houston, to discuss future disaster response and the responsibility of local first responders with hurricane season approaching.
ASSociated Press: McCain: Not Enough Guest-Worker Backing
Supporters of a guest worker program that would let illegal immigrants stay in the United States said Tuesday they don’t have enough Senate votes to overcome objections from conservatives who oppose the measure on grounds it amounts to amnesty.
Well, Kennedy and McCain do not have enough votes (60 needed) to invoke cloture (end debate/filibuster) and that is how it should be. Their bill is not the prescription for solving the illegal immigration problem. There was an amnesty in 1986 and it made matters worse as will this bill.
There is also talk of a compromise revision called the “roots concept.”
The proposal, dubbed the “roots concept, by Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., seemed to have some support from Frist. He told CNN over the weekend that 40 percent of illegal immigrants have been in the country less than five years and “need to be dealt with in a different fashion.”
However, there is conservative opposition.
Opponents consider the Judiciary Committee bill amnesty. Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., would give illegal immigrants up to five years to leave the country, before they can return legally to apply for permanent residence or be guest workers.
Cornyn was not at the meeting at Frist’s office, but his spokesman Don Stewart was skeptical of the suggested compromise.
“It’s a matter of giving amnesty to 8 million people or giving amnesty to 12 million people. It’s still amnesty to millions of people,” Stewart said.
No compromise. Bill Frist should call up his bill and the Senate should approve it and move on.
A separate bill filed by Frist does not deal with illegal immigrants, but boosts border enforcement and cracks down on employers who hire illegal workers. The House in December passed a bill that would make being in the country illegally a felony.
Stay tuned as the Senate rushes to pass something on illegal immigration.
But, don’t count on much……
Stay tuned…..
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