Thread: Immigration Bill Debate Stuck on 'Amnesty'

Immigration Bill Debate Stuck on 'Amnesty'
By SUZANNE GAMBOA, Associated Press Writer
2 hours, 32 minutes ago



WASHINGTON - A broad bill letting illegal immigrants stay in the United States is clearing hurdle after hurdle toward Senate passage next week as House Republicans turn against President Bush and dig in their heels against what they deride as "amnesty" for millions of lawbreakers.


Supporters deflected an assault on what is considered the heart of the bill — a plan to grant millions of illegal immigrants a path to citizenship — while accepting conservatives' calls for hundreds of miles of new fencing along the U.S.-Mexican border.

Bush, meanwhile, was traveling Thursday to a hot spot of illegal border crossings, Yuma, Ariz., in an attempt to placate critics who label his approach for dealing with the 12 million illegal immigrants already in the country as amnesty.

Bush has said repeatedly he does not support amnesty, a position he staked out again Wednesday night before wealthy GOP donors.

"America can be a lawful society and a welcoming society and we don't have to choose between the two," the president said.

House Republicans weren't buying it.

"Regardless of what the president says, what he is proposing is amnesty," said Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., the lawmaker who would lead House negotiators in any attempt to draft a compromise immigration bill later this year.

It is amnesty, "because it allows people who have broken the law to stay in the country," Sensenbrenner said of positions Bush staked out in his speech earlier in the week.

House legislation that passed last year over strenuous Democratic opposition would make all illegal immigrants subject to prosecution as felons.

In a conference call with reporters, Sensenbrenner said Bush had "basically turned his back" on a tough border security bill after requesting that certain provisions be included before House passage last year.

Senate opponents readied another lineup of changes for Thursday in hopes of chipping away at the immigration bill that appears likely for Senate passage next week. Among them is an amendment sponsored by Sen. James Inhofe (news, bio, voting record), R-Okla., that would make English the national language.

Inhofe's proposal provides some exceptions for election ballots, court interpreters and natural disaster assistance. The Senate bill already would require illegal immigrants to learn English as a condition of earning legal permanent residency, a step toward citizenship.

As governor of Texas, Bush proposed what he called "English plus," rather than English only. But after the recent debut of the national anthem in Spanish, Bush said people who want to be U.S. citizens ought to learn to sing the national anthem in English.

On Wednesday, the Senate followed the House's lead and voted 83-16 to build 370 miles of fence in areas "most often used by smugglers and illegal aliens" as determined by federal officials. The House approved twice as much fencing in its bill.

The Senate also okayed 500 miles of vehicle barriers. Supporters said the fencing and barriers could help improve economies in communities where they are located and reduce crime.

But opponents said the barriers would shift illegal immigrant and smuggling traffic to areas of the border without fencing. The underlying Senate bill provides for a "virtual" fence along the border using cameras, sensors and other technology to monitor the border.

Sen. Jeff Sessions (news, bio, voting record), R-Ala., estimated the cost at roughly $3.2 million per mile, more than $900 million for 300 miles. He said the fence would send "a signal that open-border days are over."

But Sen. Edward Kennedy (news, bio, voting record), D-Mass., said the cost would be much higher, while Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., predicted the fencing would be a "down payment" on a fence stretching the length of the border.

All Republicans and more than half the Senate's Democrats supported the proposal.

President Bush,

If I "undocumented" my income and didn't pay $200,000 in taxes, then you "legalized" my behavior and let me keep 99% of that $200,000, is that amnesty or not? By your definition, it is not. Maybe you are correct, it is not simply amnesty, it is amnesty (not going to jail or paying a penalty) plus a reward (getting to keep 99% of the money). What is the word for amnesty plus reward for foreign invaders? Treason perhaps?

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Sen. Jeff Sessions (news, bio, voting record), R-Ala., estimated the cost at roughly $3.2 million per mile, more than $900 million for 300 miles. He said the fence would send "a signal that open-border days are over."

Quick question... is this fence going to be made out of gold?

And a fence should send a "signal". It should be a deterrent. It should be 2000 miles long and built of solid concrete. I know plenty of men who would donate labor to help build it and they really should have a fair amount of bricks in Washington by now.

Open Letter to Vincente FOX and his pet, TexASS George Jr.

Dear George (I refuse to call anyone President who can't behave like one).

I cannot believe you and some Senators think we are just so stupid as to swallow all the Bull you folks are trying to feed US. You seriously believe that you can betray some 300 Million Legal Americans and we can’t do anything about it? We shall see.

Come election days, many conservatives like myself, are going to start voting to throw all you Traitorous Incumbent Bums out of office, regardless of party. This is not a party issue, but Republicans are the party we voted in to fix our security woes, and I will be exercising my rights against them the worst. I simply refuse to reward or support ANYONE who betrays my family, my people, my Nation, or me.

If I hear You, or anyone else say that we can’t deport 12 million people again, I am going to puke. By that reasoning, you can’t arrest every drug dealer either, so why are you still trying?

Can you people Spell T-R-A-I-T-O-R-S???

The reason Immigration Policy is not working is because you, George, are NOT enforcing it. The only comprehensive Bill we need is the one that rids the American people of ALL you American traitors. Starting with the appeasement Incumbent Republicans and Democrats in Congress, in 2006, and 2008. I also intend to do everything in my power to revive the Term Limits debate in this Nation. One needs to look no further then how most of the decrepit old farts, are also the most corrupt in Government, to see why.

The Democrats are right about one thing. The majority of Republicans today ARE weak on National Security (as are way too many Democrats), and their attempts to legalize over 12 Million Illegal Mexican Criminals proves that.

I am extremely disgusted and disillusioned with this treachery to the legal working American people. But I sincerely believe We WILL regain control of our government, even if we have to organize a National Boycott of the Electoral System and Paying Taxes to do it.

I will keep calling and cutting you folks off from political donations to show my displeasure with both Parties, regarding this Issue. And some of US have to work longer and harder to make the same wages (thanks to your Illegal buddies doing the jobs Americans won't) we used too, so we don't have the time to get out and protest like your criminal buddies can. However, I can promise that ALL Traitors like You, regardless of Branch or Chamber, will hear this families protests loud and clear starting this coming November.


Signed:
One Disgusted & Tee'd Off Voter.

Thanks for putting in words the feelings that I too share.

If Bush can threaten our House of Republicans with a veto- we can blame him for the loss of seats in the Congress.

Bush is THE reason that Republicans will lose seats.

Perhaps Bush needs to realize that instead of threatening the House (by refusing to sign a bill without AMNESTY) he needs to get on board with the Republican HOUSE, and stand firm against the BS coming from the Senate Democrats and the likes of Nagel and McCain.

By promoting an amnesty program as an inseparable part of his and the liberal Senate's overall immigration "reform" bill, the President is engaging in extortion to cram an illegal and insane suicidally stupid program down the throats of unwilling Americans by touting it as an "all or nothing" proposition.

This criminal blackmail cannot be allowed to succeed, because the supposed benefit of a partial rickety border fence in lieu of enforcing the law and granting amnesty for 20-30 million illegals with tens of millions more immediately as qualified family invites, isn't worth conceding since for six long years the President has repeatedly and actively worked against securing the US borders and enforcing immigration law at every turn.

Why should he be trusted now?, especially when through his direction he has ordered the US Border Patrol to stand down and not long ago referred to volunteer civilian border monitors as criminal "vigilantes" insinuating that they were bigots and racists motivated by prejudice and hatred. With his record of deliberate failure and close alliances with the illegal labor lobby and collaboration with radical left-wing open borders proponents, his trustworthiness is zero.

If his commitment to a border fence and increased security along the borders is anything like his broken 2004 campaign promise to add thousands, not hundreds of new Border Partol agents, (yet to be done 2 years later), any promises he makes now are worse than useless. They are only yet more delaying tactics and meaningless verbiage to allow hundreds of thousands more illegals to pour in to satisfy the cheap illegal labor lobby, his true constituency, before his term of office expires.

At any rate we have already seen what an amnesty deal to "once and for all" solve the illegal imigration problem results in: ten times as many illegal aliens only 2 decades later. No deals, no compromises, and no damned amnesty. Border security and law enforcement only.

Originally Posted by LunaLun

Thanks for putting in words the feelings that I too share.

If Bush can threaten our House of Republicans with a veto- we can blame him for the loss of seats in the Congress.

Bush is THE reason that Republicans will lose seats.

Perhaps Bush needs to realize that instead of threatening the House (by refusing to sign a bill without AMNESTY) he needs to get on board with the Republican HOUSE, and stand firm against the BS coming from the Senate Democrats and the likes of Nagel and McCain.

I sincerely believe that if Bush dared to pull the same stunts he has today, 40 or 50 years ago, he would have been impeached by now, and quite possibly brought up on charges of Treasonous Behavior or crimes against the American People.

What a shame that moral principles and ethics can deteriorate so much after just a few Decades.

Originally Posted by CaptainAmerica

By promoting an amnesty program as an inseparable part of his and the liberal Senate's overall immigration "reform" bill, the President is engaging in extortion to cram an illegal and insane suicidally stupid program down the throats of unwilling Americans by touting it as an "all or nothing" proposition.

This criminal blackmail cannot be allowed to succeed, because the supposed benefit of a partial rickety border fence in lieu of enforcing the law and granting amnesty for 20-30 million illegals with tens of millions more immediately as qualified family invites, isn't worth conceding since for six long years the President has repeatedly and actively worked against securing the US borders and enforcing immigration law at every turn.

Why should he be trusted now?, especially when through his direction he has ordered the US Border Patrol to stand down and not long ago referred to volunteer civilian border monitors as criminal "vigilantes" insinuating that they were bigots and racists motivated by prejudice and hatred. With his record of deliberate failure and close alliances with the illegal labor lobby and collaboration with radical left-wing open borders proponents, his trustworthiness is zero.

If his commitment to a border fence and increased security along the borders is anything like his broken 2004 campaign promise to add thousands, not hundreds of new Border Partol agents, (yet to be done 2 years later), any promises he makes now are worse than useless. They are only yet more delaying tactics and meaningless verbiage to allow hundreds of thousands more illegals to pour in to satisfy the cheap illegal labor lobby, his true constituency, before his term of office expires.

At any rate we have already seen what an amnesty deal to "once and for all" solve the illegal imigration problem results in: ten times as many illegal aliens only 2 decades later. No deals, no compromises, and no damned amnesty. Border security and law enforcement only.

Amen to that, Brother.

Bush seems to be quite the little master collaborator, manipulator; much more so then all these ' He's so stupid' people ever gave him credit for.

Did I hear that right? He's NEVER vetoed one bill yet, but now he's threatening to veto any bill that doesn't include a Guest Worker/Amnesty provision??

I was very suspicious that the first people to praise his Immigration Speech have also been some of his worst Democrat Critics in the Senate on just about everything else. That in itself was enough to make me think that 'something is not right in Denmark'