Thread: Grassley shifts on citizenship for illegal immigrants

http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs. ... 12033/1001


Grassley shifts on citizenship for illegal immigrants
By JANE NORMAN
REGISTER STAFF WRITER



September 12, 2006
Washington, D.C. * As Congress struggles with a stalemate over illegal immigration, Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Ia., said today he would be willing to consider a plan under which illegal immigrants could become citizens, but only if they return first to their home countries.

Grassley, a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, opposed an immigration bill approved by the Senate earlier this year that he said constitutes amnesty for illegal workers because it would lay out an eventual path to citizenship.

But he said he would look at a compromise under which legislation would be approved to secure the border first. Legalization provisions would be included that would be triggered once the border is secure, he said.

“I think I am willing to consider anything that would move us to a point of getting a bill,” Grassley said.

“For my part, I would have to have anybody who is illegally in this country, though, return to their country and come back legally,” he added. “That would be a compromise on my part because I’ve never said that I would do that before.”

He noted he has supported temporary worker programs in the past.
Grassley had strongly criticized the Senate bill at a House hearing on immigration earlier this month in Dubuque.

“I did not and will not support a bill that includes a path to citizenship for those who have broken our laws,” he said at the hearing. “All of the positive reform measures we included in the bill will mean nothing if we create an amnesty program for anybody and everybody."

But he said today that “I think it is going to be very difficult to bring an enforcement-only issue up on the Senate floor.”

This guy Grassley is a real con artist. We have heard the return home and come back bull before. Someone please tell us there is a better choice in this race.

W

I disagree with Grassley. Send them back and do not allow them in.

Originally Posted by swatchick

I disagree with Grassley. Send them back and do not allow them in.

Amen, that is the only way so others will know they should never come illegally into the US.

W

It's true this compromise has most of what everyone wants, if you trust them. I'm not crazy enough to call for presidential impeachment over this issue but the '86 program turned out to be far short of what was promised. Having these guys promise they'll send them home to get in line, wait, and all the rest is a dream. The folks sense anything short of closing the border and total deportation is a little too slippery. I try to be reasonable but this time, believe we can talk about illegals already here after the border is sealed. The big problem is more than a million come every year and they have about 400 thousand anchor babies every year. It's time to stop talking about solving THEIR problems and solve some of ours. And regarding citizenship, they already have a path to citizenship. We just need to speed it up -- after we seal and deport.

Regarding border control, there are "secure" borders and then there are "secure" borders. By that, I mean this complex border is not like a light switch that's either on or off. According to the Kay Bailey Hutchison proposal, a Presidential committee would adjudge when the border is secure. Nay, nay. For me that's a little too slippery. I'd like to make it a little more like a light switch this time.

This border will never be secure until there is a Wall of American Citizens guarding every mile of it which both possible and affordable.

The problem with asking illegals to go home to apply for guest worker status is that it will leave the criminal aliens here. If the illegal person can not qualify for re-entry, why would he leave in the first place.

If there MUST be a guest worker program-offer it to those who have already legally applied to enter this country.

I read somewhere that President Truman rounded up over 1 million illegal aliens in 4 months and sent them back. Why can't we do that now?

Texan123: Unfortunately when Truman was in the illegals did not even consider taking Border Patrol, the Immigration Department or local law enforcement actions to the supreme court. In the 70's the supreme court cases began and the rest is history.

I read this in the paper this morning...very upsetting. Grassley, Steve King, and Bill Frist are going to be at GOPFest in Des Moines on September 23rd. There's going to be a forum on immigration and it will be interesting to hear what Grassley has to say.