Thread: Senators scrap over immigration

Posted on Thu, Mar. 02, 2006

Senators scrap over immigration
By DAVE MONTGOMERY
Star-Telegram Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday embarked on the daunting challenge of crafting an immigration bill in an election year, exposing sharp divisions over how to deal with the more than 11 million immigrants living in the country illegally.

Republicans were clearly split over President Bush’s call for a temporary guest worker program, with several saying that Congress must first toughen enforcement of existing laws.

“If we go forward on a temporary worker program, our problems will get worse,” declared Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa.

The committee will work intermittently over the next three weeks, adhering to strict marching orders by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., to have a bill ready for the full Senate by March 27. Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., called the undertaking “a gigantic task.”

Illegal immigration and surging violence along the U.S.-Mexican border have combined to become one of the nation’s most volatile issues, fanned by the onset of the 2006 mid-term congressional races.

Although Bush has committed his administration to a comprehensive overhaul of the immigration system, lawmakers are struggling to find common ground between pro-immigrant factions and those demanding toughened enforcement.

“It represents a clash between American values,” said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, co-sponsor of one of the major bills under consideration by the committee. “We cannot look ourselves in the mirror and claim to be a nation of laws with such rampant lawlessness within our borders.”

The task facing Specter’s committee is to produce a compromise package that will not only clear the 100-member Senate but will also frame negotiations with the House, where conservative Republicans are vowing to block any bill with a guest worker provision.

The issue will ultimately be decided by a House-Senate conference committee that will try to resolve differences between bills passed by the two chambers. The House has already passed its version, opting for a get-tough approach on border security that includes a 700-mile fence along the border.

Bush, backed by a diverse coalition of business groups, has called for a temporary guest worker program to fill jobs normally bypassed by Americans and to guarantee humane treatment for illegal immigrants in the country.

As a starting point for the judiciary committee’s deliberations, Specter last week unveiled a 305-page bill that includes a guest worker program as well as toughened law enforcement provisions. Specter’s compromise package includes elements from two other major bills - one co-sponsored by Cornyn and Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., and the other by Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Edward Kennedy, D-Mass.

The committee took no votes Thursday but opening statements by members suggested that Specter faces an arduous task in trying to find a compromise. Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., said the chairman’s bill “amounts to an eight-foot bridge attempting to cross a 10-foot ravine.”

“I have seen virtually no agreement on anything when it comes to this immigration bill,” Specter conceded, predicting that the measure will be subjected to “many, many, many amendments” in subsequent meetings.

Many pro-immigrant groups, as well as a number of business organizations, have lined up behind the McCain-Kennedy measure, which has a guest worker program that would put illegal immigrants on a path to eventual citizenship.

The Cornyn-Kyl bill also creates a guest worker program, but illegal immigrants would first be required to return to their home countries after a five-year grace period before they could participate.

“If you immediately say you’re going to send them home, they’re not going to come out of the shadows,” said Specter, signaling his opposition to the Cornyn-Kyl provision. Specter said he wouldn’t have a problem with putting guest workers on a track to citizenship. but he acknowledged that the controversial feature would make it harder to produce an acceptable compromise.

Under Specter’s proposal, between 8 million to 9 million illegal immigrants who entered the United States before Jan. 4, 2004, would be eligible to receive three-year work visas, which they could renew for another three years before being required to return to their home countries.

Three of the committee’s 10 Republicans - Grassley, Sessions and Tom Coburn, Okla. - announced their opposition to a guest worker program. Sen. Diane Feinstein, D-Calif., said she would support a limited program for agriculture workers but would oppose broadening it to include construction jobs and other sectors of the economy.

Most of the eight Democrats appear to be supporting the McCain-Kennedy measure, along with at least two Republicans - Sam Brownback of Kansas and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.

"America needs to mature on this issue," said Graham. "I want people to come out of the shadows…pay a fine, get in the back of the line, work hard, keep your nose clean and one day if you want to be an American citizen, that can happen.”



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dave Montgomery, (202) 383-6016
dmontgomery@krwashington.com


http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/14002330.htm

"America needs to mature on this issue," said Graham. "I want people to come out of the shadows…pay a fine, get in the back of the line, work hard, keep your nose clean and one day if you want to be an American citizen, that can happen.”

Wouldn't the back of the line be back in their home countries? If they didn't have jobs and access to welfare programs then the illegals would likely "come out of the shadows" and go to the true back of the line. That would discourage the next wave from coming and hiding in the shadows, too. Maybe it's Senator Graham who needs to mature, not America. Getting undocumented workers out of the shadows appears to be the talking point and justification for amnesty.

Well, Senator Graham, your job in the US Senate is to represent your constituents, not what you want.

Silly!