Illegal Immigration Watch: Amnesty SI
A migrant tries to cross into the U.S. from the Mexican border town of Ciudad Juarez, under the bridge that connects the border city with El Paso March 6, 2006. A bipartisan group of U.S. senators reached agreement on Thursday on an immigration reform bill that would legalize millions of illegal immigrants and establish a merit-based system for future migrants, lawmakers said.
Washington Post: Immigration Compromise Reached by Senate Negotiators
Proposal, to Be Debated Next Week, Would Offer Route to Legal Status
A bipartisan group of senators reached a delicate compromise today on what could be the biggest overhaul of immigration law in more than 40 years. It would offer the nation’s 12 million undocumented workers a route to legal status.
Under the deal, undocumented workers who crossed into the country before Jan. 1 would be offered a temporary-residency permit while they await a new “Z Visa” that would allow them to live and work lawfully here. The head of an illegal-immigrant household would have eight years to return to his or her home country to apply for permanent legal residence for members of the household, but each Z Visa itself would be renewable indefinitely, as long as the holder passes a criminal background check, remains fully employed and pays a $5,000 fine, plus a paperwork-processing fee.
A separate, temporary-worker program would be established for 400,000 migrants a year. Each temporary work visa would be good for two years and could be renewed up to three times, as long as the worker leaves the country for a year between renewals.
To satisfy Republicans, those provisions would come in force only after the federal government implements tough new border controls and a crackdown on employers that hire illegal immigrants. Republicans are demanding 18,000 new Border Patrol agents, 370 miles of additional border fencing and an effective, electronic employee-verification system for the workplace.
How do you spell AMNESTY?
This is CRAP legislation that runs over 1,000 pages. If anyone thinks that the illegal aliens in this country will EVER comply and that the government will EVER be able to enforce this law, they are living in a fool’s paradise.
This proposal is AMNESTY and will lead to MORE ILLEGAL immigration.
The GOP when it had majorities had the opportunity to effectivley change the law with a secure the borders first effort but the President first stonewalled and then blocked them. Now, the President cuts a deal with the Democrats and the Republican members of Congress are hung out to dry.
Thanks Mr. President
And furthermore the President thinks this is a legislative ACCOMPLISHMENT?
Michelle Malkin has a great round-up of reactions.
Hugh Hewitt has Stop the GOP Senate Cave-in: Call 202-225-3121
I posted the Senate GOP’s leaked “talking points” here.
Powerline’s Paul Mirengoff reviewed them and concluded:
Any Republican candidate who is on board with the projected deal should receive no consideration from conservatives as a presidential nominee.
He’s correct of course, and that means Senator McCain suffers another blow to an already deeply troubled campaign. This deal –which takes down about half of the fence that was mandated last fall– is the result of the McCain-Kennedy absurdity that McCain and Lindsey Graham pushed through the Judiciary Committee and then the Senate and which froze out serious border security as part of a comprehensive bill. Now the greatly reduced Senate GOP caucus is running for cover not realizing that the only cover they have is to stand and fight for enforcement first in the form a fully funded 700 miles of fence, the completion of which —the completion of which— would trigger regularization of illegal aliens in an era of new stiff employer sanctions and counterfeit-proof identification card. The key here is specificity on the triggers, and the vague assurances offered in the talking points are just so many red flags because they are not specific in any way.
If there aren’t 41 Republican senators willing to fight for the common sense solution, the Senate GOP will be staggered again, just as it was by John Warner’s and Susan Collins’ attempt to agree to slow surrender in Iraq some months ago. Apparently the bulk of the Senate Republicans simply do not understand that an opposition party is supposed to oppose bad laws, not attempt to merely dilute them.
National Review has No to Bush-Kennedy
As bad as the status quo on immigration policy is, it is preferable to this bill. Recent improvements in border security have apparently reduced the number of illegal crossings, and well-publicized raids on workplaces can be expected to have a chilling effect on employers who are in violation of immigration laws. But we suspect that this increased enforcement was largely designed to win passage for amnesty and a guest-worker program, and will end once this goal is achieved. We urge senators to cast protest votes against this bill, and House members to do their best to defeat it.
A Federal Immigration and Custom Enforcement agent searches an unidentified man, right, during a raid of a Swift and Company Beef Plant in Greeley, Colo.
But……….
Captain Ed has sentiments that match Flap’s.
Although this planned legislation is AMNESTY pure and simple, this is the best legislation conservatives can obtain under the current GOP numbers in Congress and the President.
Something on illegal immigration needs to be accomplished. Flap does not agree with the National Review that the current law or status quo is preferable. Give this new legisation a chance and when it fails, modify it and toughen it up.
But something is better than NOTHING…….
Members of the U.S. National Guard work along a new border fence near the U.S.-Mexico border in Otay Mesa, San Diego July 21, 2006.
Previous:
Illegal Immigration Watch: May Day 2007 Immigration Rally Turnout Much Lower than May Day 2006
Illegal Immigration Watch: Great American Boycott 2006 Mid-Day Round-Up
Illegal Immigration Watch: Pajamas Media Update From Los Angeles Protests
Illegal Immigration Watch: Great American Boycott 2006 – Los Angeles Getting Ready for Protests
Illegal Immigration Watch: Immigration Roundup Fear Spreads
Illegal Immigration Watch: May 1 Protest to “CLOSE DOWN†American Cities – Redux
Illegal Immigration Watch: California State Senate Supports Mexican “NOTHING GRINGO†DAY
Illegal Immigration Watch: May 1 Protest to “CLOSE DOWN†American Cities
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